Ensemble Audio / Digital Guide

Introduction Wall

Introduction

Ensemble 

Ensemble explores audio description as a creative communication tool and art form in its own right. As none of the original artworks are present in the show, all visitors will be challenged to experience the artworks in their minds. 

Each of the six audio artworks exhibited consists of two audio descriptions played back-to-back. The first is by the artist of the original artwork, and the second has been produced in a collaborative process led by writer Joe Rizzo Naudi. By bringing together different voices, Ensemble highlights how we all perceive and communicate in different ways. 

The original artworks described have been chosen because of their importance to each artist’s past, present and future practice. None of the artworks have ever been exhibited before so are unknown, even to other participating artists and curators. 

By shifting away from the visual, Ensemble allows space to contemplate, reflect and imagine. We hope this change of focus will raise important questions and discussions around the potential of audio description to alter and enhance how we experience art.

Foreword by Dr Alison Eardley, University of Westminster

Foreword

“This exciting exhibition explores and challenges some of our assumptions about what it is to experience artworks. As a society, we tend to prioritise visual experience. For the sighted majority, it’s true that we are highly reliant on our vision. But this has led us to overestimate what can be achieved through vision alone. An example of this is the assumption that vision is both necessary and sufficient to experience art. In reality, many sighted people struggle to know how to really ‘experience’ an artwork. They will look briefly, and then they will move to the next piece.

Both researchers and museum professionals are beginning to explore how audio descriptive interpretation of an artwork can enrich the experiences that all visitors have of artworks. This exhibition enables us to explore our experiences with artworks through language. These descriptions will provide listeners with an opportunity for shared and individual engagements, as they respond to the descriptions and perspectives of the describers. Crucially, by presenting these works through multiple descriptions, this exhibition embraces the subjectivity of experience, and empowers all beholders.”

Dr Alison Eardley, University of Westminster

Artists and Acknowledgements

Artists

Louise Ashcroft

Cash Aspeek

Terence Birch

Fran Cottell

Colin Lievens

Dr Aaron McPeake

Collective Agency, writing by Joe Rizzo Naudi, edited by Sasha Galitzine, after conversations with Jen Calleja, Nicole Clif, Timna Fibert, Ella Frears, Annie Hayter and Autumn Sharkey.

Curated by Hettie James & Stephanie Farmer

Project Management by Hettie James

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to David Bloor, Tom Cripps, Dr Alison Eardley, Charlotte FitzGerald, Anne Hornsby at Mind’s Eye, David Hughes, Sarah-Beth Locke, Peter Morris, Louis Rizzo Naudi, Matt Vaughan, Sarah Walsh, Jenny White, Daniel Yeo and Jamie Younger. This exhibition and wider project Describing to Visualise has been supported by Arts Council England, APT Gallery and The de Laszlo Foundation, as well as the Association for Art History, Art Fund Jonathan Ruffer Curatorial Grant, Canon and Event Concept. Furniture by Artek, Enzo Mari, Lozi, TAKT, VG&P and Vitra.

Times

Times

12:15 Threadbound by Cash Aspeek & Collective Agency

12:30 Spring Painter by Louise Ashcroft & Collective Agency

12:45 Parker by Terence Birch & Collective Agency

13:00 Construction by Fran Cottell & Collective Agency

13:15 Tissue by Colin Lievens & Collective Agency

13:30 Memento Mori Kyi Zi by Dr Aaron McPeake & Collective Agency

13:45 Threadbound by Cash Aspeek & Collective Agency

14:00 Spring Painter by Louise Ashcroft & Collective Agency

14:15 Parker by Terence Birch & Collective Agency

14:30 Construction by Fran Cottell & Collective Agency

14:45 Tissue by Colin Lievens & Collective Agency

15:00 Memento Mori Kyi Zi by Dr Aaron McPeake & Collective Agency

15:15 Threadbound by Cash Aspeek & Collective Agency

15:30 Spring Painter by Louise Ashcroft & Collective Agency

15:45 Parker by Terence Birch & Collective Agency

16:00 Construction by Fran Cottell & Collective Agency

16:15 Tissue by Colin Lievens & Collective Agency

16:30 Memento Mori Kyi Zi by Dr Aaron McPeake & Collective Agency

Events

Events

Thursday 9th May

18:00 - 20:00
Co-creative Description Workshop with Joe Rizzo Naudi & Sasha Galitzine

Saturday 11th May

11:00 - 13:00
Reverse Engineering Artworks from Audio Description with Dr Aaron McPeake

Thursday 16th May

19:00 - 20:30
Exhibition: Late Night Listen

Friday 17th May

10:00 - 12:00
Co-creative Description Workshop with Joe Rizzo Naudi & Sasha Galitzine
with live BSL interpretation by Susan Merrick & Ali Gordon

12:30 - 15:00
Exhibition with Live BSL interpretation by Susan Merrick

15:30 - 17:00
Exhibition with Live BSL interpretation by Susan Merrick

Friday 24th May

12:30 - 15:00
Exhibition with Live BSL interpretation by Susan Merrick

15:30 - 17:00
Exhibition with Live BSL interpretation by Susan Merrick

Sunday 26th May

10:00 - 12:00
Family Day Workshop with Stephanie Farmer & Hettie James

To book go to the events section on our APT webpage, or use our Linktree via the NaviLens QR code.

Artwork: Threadbound by Cash Aspeek & Collective Agency, 2024