The Elements of Music 2016

“…deaf people have the ability to not only hear music, but to appreciate, interpret, and love it...”

‘Dynamics’ by Deaf artist Rubbena Aurangzeb-Tariq

‘The Elements of Music’ involves 10 British deaf artists across a number of disciplines including photography, sculpting, acting, textiles, and musical composition.  Each artist was tasked by Ruth to produce works which represent a musical element.

The project leads the spectator through a thoughtful and deeply integrated arts experience, portraying music in a visually compelling and refreshingly humanistic way. The exhibition turns conventional understanding of music on its head; the focus is not only on sound, but on music’s real and interpreted visual nature.

Also featured are new and extended elements of music – most notably, the integration of deaf culture and its language (British Sign Language (BSL). Like music, BSL has repetition, rhythm, rhyme, alliteration, and metre. They can both be fluid or detached and loud or quiet, and both feature physical placement. Just like spoken language, visual language can enhance the musical experience.

Beyond isolating and illustrating the individual elements of music, Audiovisability brings a sense of individuality to the viewer, challenging their own perceptions. Each work of art is truly unique, combining the project itself with the artist’s own perceptions, ideas, and life experiences.

 Through this project we highlight the huge range of diversity in the deaf world; the differing hearing levels, differing languages (spoken and visual), and a range of art disciplines. Finally, it reaffirms that deaf people have the ability to not only hear music, but to appreciate, interpret, and love it.

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The Elements of Music was kindly supported and funded by Arts Council England, Decibels Year of Sound, Sobell Foundation, Deaf Explorer and Arlington Arts Centre.