Flesh of the World — Owen Pratt

Quarry Whispers was first shown at zaza' gallery as part of 'the flesh of the world crying out in a language made of our own waste' - an exhibition by Shaan Bevan and Owen Pratt.

Two modified record players drag metal needles across the surface of stone slates, producing micro sounds which are amplified by a speaker. This topographical mapping of the material attempts to describe geologic processes and timescales, condensed to the temporal framework of the exhibition. The scratches and uneven surfaces of the two ‘records’ produces asynchronous rhythms which slowly evolve as new paths are etched in the stone and moisture settles on the surface. The room's humidity alters as the misting circuits around Shaan's paintings are activated, altering the friction and speed of the mechanics.

These repetitive rhythms and drones have the ability to transform the firings of the nervous system and shift us closer to a parasympathetic state. By allowing the viewer to experience the surface of stone with a new sensory awareness, we hope to point to connections between the materiality of the earth and the body

The slates used come from Labastide-Rouairoux, a French village in the Montagne Noire. Labastide is valley with extreme weather, caused by the meeting of the Atlantic and Mediterranean climate systems. In the valley, the slates are traditionally used as architectural cladding, protecting the stone buildings from the dynamic weather. The stones themselves are creating a protective membrane between interior and exterior environments. Perhaps their process of breaking down over the course of the exhibition says something about the impossibility of a totally closed system, the permeability of membranes, and the breakdown of boundaries.

Concept - Shaan Bevan & Owen Pratt
Audio - Owen Pratt
Text & Title - Sharifa Petersen
Curation - Alessandro Bava