Mark Hansen and Ben Rubin’s Listening Post is a wave of computer-synthesized voices reciting and singing text fragments. The fragments are sampled from thousands of live, unrestricted internet chat rooms, bulletin boards and online forums.
This uncensored peek into our private internet conversations creates a chatter that surrounds the listener through over 200 small electronic screens. Accompanying this is an ambient soundtrack of isolated pulses that are reminiscent of computer modems and other electronic clamor.
Often there is both darkness and silence, creating a momentary respite until Listening Post continues with its next movement.
Listening Post started with a simple question-what would 100,000 people chatting online sound like? Hansen and Rubin agreed that the project had a strong social factor that couldn’t be ignored.
The piece comes at a special time in history where communication and technology connect ordinary people in never before seen numbers. Every minute of the day we are interfacing with online friends to exchange ideas, thoughts and parts of our lives. This piece demonstrates the urgent need we have to connect with one another, in any way possible.
This glimpse into the daily communication that has become vital to so many is available only for a brief time at the Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD.
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/visitmuseum/galleries/listening_post.aspx
Listening Post runs 19 February 2008-19 February 2009.
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