An extraordinary sonic exhibition showcasing the sounds of migration is set to take place in Oxford.
The event, at the Pitt Rivers Museum, will allow visitors to create their own musical reinterpretations of these sounds.
The installation, titled 'Migration Sounds: Amplified at the Pitt Rivers Museum', will run from November 6 to 8.
It will be an immersive and interactive audio exhibition, capturing experiences of migration through sound.
Visitors will be able to create their own sound mix by physically moving around the space.
The exhibition is a live, in-person experience of the online Migration Sounds project, the first large-scale publicly curated exploration of the sounds of migration.
The project is a partnership between the Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS) at the University of Oxford and Cities and Memory, one of the world’s largest sound projects, with more than 1,800 contributing artists worldwide.
Recordings of more than 120 migration experiences have been submitted to the Migration Sounds project from 51 countries.
These recordings range from dramatic maritime rescues and protests to emotional family reunions and everyday sounds like children's bedtime stories and neighbours sharing a cup of tea.
Each submission has been reimagined by a network of artists from all over the world into brand new compositions covering a huge range of sonic and musical styles.
Visitors to the installation will experience the field recordings and compositions simultaneously in the museum space for a unique aural experience.
They will also be able to create their own Migration Sounds compositions using high-tech samplers and sequencers pre-loaded with sounds from the project.
Rob McNeil, a researcher at COMPAS, said: "This exhibition is designed to give people a new perspective on the issue by allowing visitors to listen to people’s real day-to-day experiences of migration instead.
"We hope visitors will gain a deeper understanding of this huge and complex issue by exploring the sounds of migration – and even reinterpreting them by turning them into music."
The exhibition is part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science, an annual UK-wide free celebration of the social sciences organised by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
Stuart Fowkes, the founder of Cities and Memory, said: "Sound can transport us directly into lived experiences in a much more direct and emotional way than watching a video or reading a news story.
"This installation experience immerses the listener directly into the lived experience of migration – and into the incredible compositions developed by artists from all over the world."
For more information, visit the Cities and Memory website.
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