FREE REED
Commissioned by Bristol Beacon and supported using public funding by Arts Council England. 2023
‘Free Reed’ is a sculptural installation on wheels that highlights the importance of freedom of speech and deep listening, providing a space for contemplation and discussion.
‘Free Reed’ is inspired by recent changes in protest legislation, Bristol Beacon’s pipework (silenced by sound traps, mufflers and dampers) and its unseen social history. In 1909 two Suffragettes hid in the halls’ pipe organ to interrupt a political speech with shouts of “Votes for Women!”. The pipes had spoken
The sculptures are made of reclaimed construction pipes that contain free reeds. These are activated by being blown into or hand-pumped. The installation was accompanied by a 10 day programme of free workshops and interventions that invited participants to address questions such as: ‘whose voices are amplified or silenced?’, ‘who really listens?’, and ‘do we truly listen?’