Watermans Roshni Bhagotra

Sound of Hounslow : Transit tonalities in situ

This outdoor exhibition brings together different voices, memories, personal histories and shared experiences through a central soundscape.

Using storytelling to explore the everyday, familiar and obscure sounds of Hounslow. Developed in collaboration with the local community, the work invites viewers to listen and tune into the rhythms and tones that shape how we move, connect and remember our environments.

‍
The exhibition unfolds through three interconnected themes emerging as key auditory signals through searching for the sound of Hounslow.

Themes related to the landscape, skyscapes, transit, ecosystems and musical heritage, each reflect a different part of the sonic landscape in Hounslow and the way we experience place, movement and belonging.

‍
Across creative sessions, conversations, sound walks and community podcast recording sessions, participants contributed their stories, took part in field recordings, reflections and collective improvisations.

‍
Emerging from maps and navigation systems as a starting point and site of sonic investigation, geolocations and markers of sonic activity across the borough, on land, water and sky became a reference point for capturing sound.

‍
Evoking stories of travel and transit across the globe whilst bringing attention to unique and often underrepresented sounds of Hounslow.

Echoed across the themes, migration and the influence of transit becomes a central narrative throughout the journey of the humble Parakeet, the increased presence of international air travel and the roots of the borough's infamous musical heritage and musicians.

‍