Agony in Lines

Agony in Lines is a site-specific and multidisciplinary exhibition that reimagines the Grainger Museum as a sanctuary for reconnection, aligning with the 2023 Melbourne Design Week's theme of "Design for Belonging." This innovative showcase invites the surrounding communities to explore the iconic yet often prohibitive space of the Grainger Museum, creating an opportunity for participants to connect with themselves and others through the practice of radical listening.

Facilitated by the acclaimed composer, improviser, and vocalist Sunny Kim, and her esteemed collaborators - Katie Stackhouse (sculpture), Sung Hyun Sohn (photography), Kyungwon Kim (motion graphics), Janette Hoe (dance), and Pat Telfer (sound design) - this multifaceted exhibition offers a unique and embodied exploration of the dichotomy of traumatic experiences, as both a cause of isolation and a catalyst for post-traumatic growth and reconnections.

Reconnections (With All That We Are Already Connected To) 2023

Photo credit: Sung Hyun Sohn

Reconnections (With All That We Are Already Connected To) 2023 offers an invitation to contemplate the ancient Korean Seondo philosophy that considers humanity's purpose as connecting the Earth and Sky. In a world where disconnection is the norm, the absence of embodied knowledge of interconnection leads to devastating effects. This composition challenges this notion of separation through the practice of listening. Guided by verbal cues, the participants connect with the Earth, Sky, and their bodies, creating a collective exploration of interconnection through music making. This recording complements the sound installation work in the Agony in Lines exhibition at the Grainger Museum and invites visitors to engage deeper with the composition by using their own audio devices such as phones and earphones to listen and join the performers in creating an immersive soundscape through vocalisation.