Specification

8x Channel Audio Installation, 30min 00sec loop starting on the hour.

These Times is a complex composite of sound drawn from time pieces and church clock towers across the West Midlands (UK). The artwork is an investigation in to trauma. Few topics seem to be as difficult to navigate as violence and its impact. Across the globe, civilisations are either in trouble or are having trouble understanding contemporary conflict. The codes by which we understand and interact with it, seem to be in the process of being rethought in the law courts, medical schools, social agencies, governmental departments, the media – and, of course, the arts.

With These Times, Parker has remained true to form as a sonic investigator of mechanical objects, casting his ear on the vibrations of malfunctioning mechanisms. In conversation, the diverse time instruments used here each resonate with the scars of conflict. Before embarking on this quest he asked “where does hope reside?” These Times is his response.

Parker’s artwork forms part of a series of critical conversations and artistic responses led by Dr. James Hodkinson, academic researcher at Warwick University and Dr. Mohsen Keiany, exploring challenging themes. Parker’s work resonates with Keiany’s exploration of destructive, mechanised dehumanisation and Hodkinson’s interest in the power of the arts to awaken empathy. The installation stands as a beacon of hope for the considerate and a warning to be vigilant.

Written by exhibition curator Steven McLean.

Exhibition

Coventry Cathedral, Coventry, UK (2019)

Supported By

Arts Council England, University of Warwick, Coventry Cathedral, SoulCity Arts, Hybrid.