listening
Why can’t we conceive a future without us?
In the year 4000, humanity no longer exists. The project explore the trace we would leave and is composed of a short science fiction novel, a memorial and a video.
It has been developed in collaboration with designer Tania Phuong and took place during the Uncut Festival 2020 at the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam.
Vibrations are used as a relic of civilizations. They unify all on Earth, as everything perceives it, and transcend human perspectives.
The video transcends the viewer into a tangible scenario by using contrasting visuals and a confronting viewpoint. It contained two opposed moments: the chaos of the extinction and the calm after human annihilation.
![](http://lbty.how/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/listening_1.jpg)
the video
Please listen with headphones for a complete experience. Soundtrack ‘Korīs’ has been created by Roxas.
Full video – 2min 36sec
The video transcends the viewer into a tangible scenario by using contrasting visuals and a confronting viewpoint. It contained two opposed moments: the chaos of the extinction and the calm after human annihilation.
![](http://lbty.how/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Capture-décran-2021-08-18-à-11.58.44.png)
![](http://lbty.how/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Capture-décran-2021-08-18-à-11.58.30.png)
![](http://lbty.how/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Capture-décran-2021-08-18-à-12.01.11.png)
![](http://lbty.how/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Capture-décran-2021-08-18-à-12.02.14.png)
![](http://lbty.how/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Capture-décran-2021-08-18-à-12.02.00.png)
the memorial
The memorial is a window (2,5 x 2,5 meters) of burned wood and covered with a sound-proof fabric. Inside, a rusted metal plate is suspended with small rocks on top. The novel is hanging aside on a fragile cloth.
Through an exciter, the plate is transformed into a speaker and display the score of civilizations. The rocks are vibrating to the symphony of past memories.
![](http://lbty.how/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/listening_3.jpg)
![](http://lbty.how/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/listening_4.jpg)
![](http://lbty.how/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/listening_2-scaled.jpg)
![](http://lbty.how/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/listening_5.jpg)
![](http://lbty.how/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/listening_10.jpg)
the score
We started with a pragmatic analysis of civilizations, to understand why and how humans have lived and died. It has created a rhythm. The score stands as a trace of what humans were like and resonates endlessly. It tells the story of humanity without words, transcending its disappearance.
Our research retraces the history of humans, from -6 million years ago to today. We divided it vertically into 4 time-periods, and vertically into 5 continents.
![](http://lbty.how/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/listening_11.jpg)
![](http://lbty.how/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/listening_12.jpg)
![](http://lbty.how/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/listening_13-1.jpg)