What does freedom sound like? Is it the noise of a lively square, the silence of a place where you feel at ease, the sound of birds, a voice, a door opening? Or perhaps a sound that can only be heard within yourself?
As part of the exhibition état bruit, the Konschthal invited the public to reflect on this question through a participatory sound creation project led by Liquid Penguin Ensemble, consisting of Katharina Bihler and Stefan Scheib.
Over several weeks, visitors were invited to share their own sonic definition of freedom. An automated recording booth installed at the entrance of the Konschthal, as well as on Place Brill on Wednesday afternoons, gave everyone the opportunity to leave a message: to describe a sound they associate with freedom, share a place where they feel free, or suggest a location for the artists to explore and record.
The responses gave rise to a collection of stories, memories, places and sounds, reflecting very different experiences of freedom. Drawing on these contributions, Katharina Bihler and Stefan Scheib set out to find and record the sounds suggested by the public, in Esch, across Luxembourg and beyond.
These recordings were then brought together to create a collective sound piece, shaped by the voices and imaginations of the people who took part in the project. Presented at a listening station as part of the exhibition, the work offers another way of experiencing freedom — not as an abstract idea, but as something personal, intimate and multifaceted.
Ultimately, the project invites us to listen to the world around us — and to ask ourselves: What does freedom sound like to you?
Artists: Liquid Penguin Ensemble (Katharina Bihler & Stefan Scheib)
