To Hear the Earth Before the End of the World is a sound-based project by artist LaMont Hamilton. Drawing on years of research and travel around the world to gain what he calls "a ground-zero understanding of our changing Earth,” Hamilton spent time listening to glaciers cracking, smelling forest fires, and immersing himself in the mechanical cacophony of land being razed.
This exhibition is a sonic exploration of the five systems (spheres) of the Earth: geosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. During a 2022 residency with the Anchorage Museum, Hamilton gathered field recordings of sounds throughout Alaska. Listeners within the space are immersed in a soundscape formed by the blending of the Alaska field recordings with archival recordings, digital and electronic sounds and more. Hyper-modulated to blur distinction, the resulting sounds create a listening experience that is both transient and meditative.
About the Artist:
LaMont Hamilton (b. 1982) is a multidisciplinary autodidact artist. Hamilton deals with the spiritual, ecological, and subconscious through sound, installation, performance, poetry, and lens-based media. Hamilton has been the recipient of several fellowships and awards, including the Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship, Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship, Artadia Award, ArtMatters Grant and more. He has held artist residencies in arts organizations and museums across the U.S. and Europe.