In the troubled air…
By Charlotte Stace
A new exhibition at the CCCB, In the Troubled Air explores how contemporary artists engage with themes of surveillance, censorship and the political use of sound.
Featuring works by over 20 artists, the show blends sound art, video, installation and archival material to examine how listening is both a tool of power and a means of protest. Over 300 works will be presented by artists such as Brecht, Camarón, Colita, Dalí, Giacometti, Goethe, Goya, Hugo, Jahnsen, Lorca, Mercadier, Miró, Pasolini, Picasso, Rodin, Trouvé and Zürn.
The overall aim is to highlight how sound can be weaponised or reclaimed, with references ranging from wiretapping and urban noise control to the voices of silenced communities. It invites audiences to reflect on what it means to hear - and be heard - in a world of growing authoritarianism and algorithmic control.