I’m inspired more by popular culture, literature, music; those have been my inspirations. Place.
I’m inspired more by popular culture, literature, music; those have been my inspirations. Place.

I never think of myself as a sound artist. I come from a sculptural background and from
I never think of myself as a sound artist. I come from a sculptural background and from

a visual arts background, so it seemed like kind of a natural thing to work with sound
a visual arts background, so it seemed like kind of a natural thing to work with sound

in that way, in a kind of sculptural way, how it can define a space and create a space
in that way, in a kind of sculptural way, how it can define a space and create a space

within a space.
within a space.

I’ve been drawn to places like bus stations, and train stations, and bridges, and those
I’ve been drawn to places like bus stations, and train stations, and bridges, and those

are places that you’re not really that engaged with, you’re just waiting to be somewhere
are places that you’re not really that engaged with, you’re just waiting to be somewhere

else.
else.

One of the first places that I visited when I came to Berlin to make recordings for an
One of the first places that I visited when I came to Berlin to make recordings for an

exhibition was the Friedrichstrasse train station. And they’re incredible sights because
exhibition was the Friedrichstrasse train station. And they’re incredible sights because

acoustically they’re so interesting; the noises, they echo and reverberate and they
acoustically they’re so interesting; the noises, they echo and reverberate and they

almost become sort of disembodied and spectral.
almost become sort of disembodied and spectral.

They suggest other things in Germany, like the émigrés had to flee
They suggest other things in Germany, like the émigrés had to flee

Germany in the 30s.
Germany in the 30s.

That’s also been something that I’ve been very interested in in more
That’s also been something that I’ve been very interested in in more

recent work; composers who were considered degenerate and had to leave.
recent work; composers who were considered degenerate and had to leave.

And not only have they been an inspiration to my work, I’ve actually installed works
And not only have they been an inspiration to my work, I’ve actually installed works

in train stations, like in Documenta I did a work right on the train tracks.
in train stations, like in Documenta I did a work right on the train tracks.

When I stood at the platform’s end and looked out towards the hills, it was then that I got the idea
When I stood at the platform’s end and looked out towards the hills, it was then that I got the idea

to work with that space, that I could create something that you would experience from a
to work with that space, that I could create something that you would experience from a

distance. So really thinking about where those train tracks led at that time, it’s a very
distance. So really thinking about where those train tracks led at that time, it’s a very

dark part of Germany’s history.
dark part of Germany’s history.

And then Hamburger Bahnhof, that was a former train station and you can really see that
And then Hamburger Bahnhof, that was a former train station and you can really see that

when you go into the historical hall; it’s got these 12 steel archways that are really
when you go into the historical hall; it’s got these 12 steel archways that are really

hard to ignore.
hard to ignore.

So I wanted to strip it right back, to sort of remind people of its former function as a train station.
So I wanted to strip it right back, to sort of remind people of its former function as a train station.

That started here in Berlin when I first encountered these fragments of these instruments that
That started here in Berlin when I first encountered these fragments of these instruments that

had been found in a bunker during the Second World War, and I was imagining what kind of
had been found in a bunker during the Second World War, and I was imagining what kind of

sound it might still produce, even though they were broken, if you were to you know,
sound it might still produce, even though they were broken, if you were to you know,

breathe through them could they still produce sound?
breathe through them could they still produce sound?

I gradually built up these recordings. Some of the instruments that I was able to record
I gradually built up these recordings. Some of the instruments that I was able to record

were amazing and they had these incredible stories attached to them. So what I’ve done
were amazing and they had these incredible stories attached to them. So what I’ve done

is to separate each of the tones and record them individually and have them play from
is to separate each of the tones and record them individually and have them play from

different horn speakers in the space. They were used on the battlefield; different tunes
different horn speakers in the space. They were used on the battlefield; different tunes

to indicate certain things, like ‘retreat’, ‘advance’. You might have the horn from
to indicate certain things, like ‘retreat’, ‘advance’. You might have the horn from

the Battle of Waterloo call to the Balaclava bugle from the Charge of the Light Brigade.
the Battle of Waterloo call to the Balaclava bugle from the Charge of the Light Brigade.

People are all of a sudden engaged in who they’re beside, and they’re aware of the
People are all of a sudden engaged in who they’re beside, and they’re aware of the

place they’re in.
place they’re in.

Sometimes the acoustics can be really challenging, especially in museums, they can be very echoey
Sometimes the acoustics can be really challenging, especially in museums, they can be very echoey

with these hard surfaces, so I really have to think a lot about that when I’m making
with these hard surfaces, so I really have to think a lot about that when I’m making

a work for a space like that.
a work for a space like that.

But I think if you make a work that works with the acoustics,
But I think if you make a work that works with the acoustics,

it can actually enhance the work, it doesn’t have to work against it. So I’m always very
it can actually enhance the work, it doesn’t have to work against it. So I’m always very

conscious of that when I come to visit a space for the first time, what kind of acoustics
conscious of that when I come to visit a space for the first time, what kind of acoustics

it has. I might do a little clapping my hands, or just projecting my voice into the room
it has. I might do a little clapping my hands, or just projecting my voice into the room

to get a sense of the echo.
to get a sense of the echo.

Sound was always in the house; we went to church, I was in the choir, and my mum used
Sound was always in the house; we went to church, I was in the choir, and my mum used

to lock herself in the room and turn the light off and listen to classical music, and that
to lock herself in the room and turn the light off and listen to classical music, and that

meant ‘don’t disturb’. I spent a lot of my time just being lost in music, and really
meant ‘don’t disturb’. I spent a lot of my time just being lost in music, and really

that time just to be alone informed my work later for sure.
that time just to be alone informed my work later for sure.

The ‘You Are Not Alone’ work that’s in the show, that was inspired by Marconi,
The ‘You Are Not Alone’ work that’s in the show, that was inspired by Marconi,

he was the pioneer of radio. That’s what brought me to these radio interval signals
he was the pioneer of radio. That’s what brought me to these radio interval signals

that I’ve worked with, because they were kind of like placeholders for a radio station;
that I’ve worked with, because they were kind of like placeholders for a radio station;

if you were going to tune in to your Radio Berlin International say, Radio Faroe Islands,
if you were going to tune in to your Radio Berlin International say, Radio Faroe Islands,

the Voice of the People of Hoi Chi Minh City, you’re trying to find it on the right frequency,
the Voice of the People of Hoi Chi Minh City, you’re trying to find it on the right frequency,

then you might come across this very simple tune that you can identify as being
then you might come across this very simple tune that you can identify as being

Radio Berlin International.
Radio Berlin International.

So I’m transmitting from Modern One to Modern Two into the stairwell,
So I’m transmitting from Modern One to Modern Two into the stairwell,

utilising the acoustics of the stairwell.
utilising the acoustics of the stairwell.

Something that Marconi once said was that when sound is generated it never actually
Something that Marconi once said was that when sound is generated it never actually

dies away completely.
dies away completely.

I just think, such an evocative notion, that you know, all sound
I just think, such an evocative notion, that you know, all sound

is still there, resonating around the universe however faintly.
is still there, resonating around the universe however faintly.