Take a Closer Listen

A small book about experiencing every day sounds

Self published in 2009
A6, 74 pages, digital print, edition of 250
Sold out
Download as PDF

A project that celebrates the beauty of environmental sounds. As the title implies, it's aim is to encourage people to listen more closely to their surroundings, and hear the beauty (or music) in it.

The first instalment was a little A6 book, with a collection of descriptions of people's favorite sounds. There's a series of longer, anecdotes about personal epiphanies, and about 50 short one-sentence descriptions of people's favorite sounds, like 'Rain falling on a tent's roof' and 'Paper getting crumbled'. Simple but effective... the reader immediately fantasizes hearing the sounds, raising awareness of these small sonic events.

The 'Take A Closer Listen' book has contributions by Richard Chartier, Taylor Deupree, Ezekiel Honig, Simon Scott, Mike Hoolboom, and many many more. The introduction was written by Andra McCarthy.

The book was also printed as an adapted second edition and added to the March/April 2012 issue of Orion Magazine.

At the Lichtung exhibition, a selection of 'Take A Closer Listen' was presented as eight 60 x 40 cm framed prints.


"On the rare occasion that I get to go to the sea, and walk with my bare feet on the sand, I try to find the perfect place, where the moisture in the ground is just right. Then I walk, scuffing my heels against the ground, and listen to the acute squeak that comes from between my feet and the sandy beach below. It's sharp but fair, quick, consistent, and has no echo; as if the echo is caught and kept by the sound of the turning waves."
  Heather Broderick

 

Closer1-book

Closer1-book

Closer2-soundof

Closer2-soundof

Closer3-intro

Closer3-intro

Closer4-kyle

Closer4-kyle

Closer5-dog

Closer5-dog

Closer6-orion

Closer6-orion

Closer7-expo

Closer7-expo