Shticks, Sapele, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ft
Commissioned for the exhibition Behold at Hypha Studios, London, 2023

These listening are modelled on the tool that plumbers and grid-workers use to find leaks and electrical faults underground. They work as ear-trumpets to amplify hidden sounds within the gallery, and propose an engagement with art that foregrounds listening and attention to architectural spaces and materials. The title “Shticks” refers to the visually-oriented ‘shtick’ of gallery art. Visitors are invited to use these listening sticks to explore the art space and its infrastructure in alternative ways. The listening sticks are hand-turned by woodworker Tracy Owen.