Soundings is a collaborative community-based experimental sound installation, focusing on amplifying voices from India that have historically been silenced, specifically female, non-binary and queer voices.
Each participant selects a phrase or series of short phrases of something they would like to send out into the universe–anything that is meaningful for them. Some of the participants chose to talk back to the oppressors. Some put out positive affirmation. The diversity of tone and text enriches the project.
Through repetition, the phrases become a chant, symbolizing a reclamation of power. The voice serves as a tool for healing and catharsis, not only for the individual who is sounding, but for those who are receiving the sounds. For multi-lingual participants, we recorded in their first language and also English. Languages recorded thus far include Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Nepali, Urdu, Sanskrit, Tamil, Malayalam and Marathi.
The project is part of my work as a Fulbright Scholar in India during 2023/2024 and I’m grateful to USIEF and U.S. State Department for their funding and support, as well as NID, who has been my generous institutional host organization.
View the original project, Soundings: Texas.
