Lawrence Abu Hamdan [inaudible] : a politics of listening in 4 acts

A “politics of listening” is an intervention into and a reorganization of forms that listening takes rather than a call for free speech or for a platform for voices to be heard. Listening is a political act, a pedagogical process, and an activity that can lead to the development of an organized protocol for engagement.

In his art and research, Beirut-based artist Lawrence Abu Hamdan explores the perception of language, sound, and listening. National identity, human rights, and the administration of justice are recurrent themes in his work. The techniques used in his audio-aesthetic practice have been used to conduct forensic audio analysis for several legal investigations. This monograph includes a series of transcripts of live speech from sermons, monologues, testimonies, and interviews made over the course of the last five years.