marta beauchamp

hear here, round circle
(2023)

sound happening

circular incision of felt carpet (3×3 mt), two benches

Photos © Sam Baraiser Smith, Marta Beauchamp

“round circle” is a site-specific intervention occurring around a circular missing piece of carpet in FLUCC Deck and a circular addition of the same carpet to the public space neighbouring FLUCC.
The carpet cutout hybridises the inside with outside space: the hole resulting from the cut draws attention to the thus resulting negative trace, whilst placing it on public ground creates a positive gathering space.
On the first meeting of the collective in FLUCC, the group gathered in a circle to discuss how to relate our listening practices to the inside and outside spaces of the site. The perimeter of this discussion circle was used as a module to determine the circumference of the cut.
The material transfer of the carpet from the quiet inner space of FLUCC to the busy public space of Praterstern and Prater Bahnhof creates an insular atmosphere within the urban environment. The carpet is presented to the public as a listening space: passersby are invited to sit on two benches placed on the carpet and take time to listen to the surrounding soundscape.

The piece was developed in the context of an artistic residency part of the festival “Sound is a collective” at FLUCC, Wien, 14–16.03.2023.
Further information regarding the activities of the collective "a meeting place for" is available from the website.

Festival: "Sound is a collective", FLUCC Wien, 14–16.03.2023
Participating artists: Max Baraitser Smith (UK), Sam Baraitser Smith (UK), Marta Beauchamp (IT/UK), Mort Drew (UK), Jakob Köchert (DE), Liza Kuzyakova (RU), Robbi Meertens (NL), Hilde Wollenstein (NL)