[sound of subtitles]

For as long as I can remember, I have required subtitles/closed captions to be turned on while watching TV and film. In particular, seeing the description of individual sounds and music has always been fascinating to me. As someone who did not grow up with an experience of pop music culture, I always enjoyed rethinking what music sounds like in a more abstract form; connecting the sounds to various emotions.

Being interested in the subtle nuances between language and sound, my research has led me to explore the language of subtitles within archival footage of pottery and craft films that I collected throughout the residency. I was interested to explore how identical videos took on varied meanings when the subtitles were altered and, in particular, how this can alter the viewing experience for the audience. By juxtaposing abstract, action-based, and music-based subtitles, I aim to highlight how powerful the use of imagery and words can be and how much this can alter our perception of events.

[sound of subtitles] is silent throughout, allowing the audience to travel through the transition of videos and texts and encouraging viewers to conjure their own interpretation of sound and event. Regardless of hearing ability, one can explore their own unique soundscape and reimagine the meaning of listening.