2026
Sunday 19 April
Reading & discussion group
Sounding Survival
Fundamentals of wartime listening and acoustics of violence
Venue tbd (Dalston)
Doors tbd (afternoon)
As the circulation of images showing extreme military violence floods the screens of international audiences following the US-Israeli campaigns against Iran and its associated front in Lebanon, civilians' perception of violence in these affected areas extends beyond a mere visual perspective. Within these ravaged territories, escaping death and devastation surpasses the blessing of survival and becomes a sonorous imprint on the wartime auditors’ minds and bodies as the shockwaves of explosions and ballistics envelop the soundscapes of these cities. This conversation and reading session, led by Mhamad Safa, will critically engage with the key aspects of wartime listening and the sonic perception of military violence in war zones, and will discuss some of the now-obsolete international legal measures for civilian protection.
Access:
We will ensure this event is in an accessible, step-free location, with accessible, gender-neutral toilets. Please check this space for an update when the venue is confirmed, or email us with any questions.
We offer 2 for 1 tickets for guests’ carers.
We are more than happy to reserve you seats and/or space for a wheelchair.
To arrange any of the above, or if you have any questions to help make your visit more comfortable, please email us here.
Mhamad Safa is a London-based sound artist and architect whose work explores the intersection of multi-scalar spatial conditions and their sonic make-ups. He graduated from the Centre for Research Architecture at Goldsmiths, University of London, in 2019 and received his PhD in Law from the University of Westminster in 2024. He is an Associate Lecturer in Architecture and Media Studies at the Royal College of Art in London, and at the London College of Communication’s Sound Arts BA.