TRISTAN LOUTH-ROBINS
| WIRED EARS (2011)

WIRED EARS (2011)
WIRED LAB Workshop & Masterclass

WIRED EARS was a workshop and masterclass that myself and several other artists from across Australia participated in during late October 2011. The event was facilitated and run by The WIRED Lab, based at a farm in regional New South Wales (near Cootmundra) and operated by artists, Sarah Last and Dave Burraston with Alan Lamb. The workshop and masterclass provided participants with an insight into the activities of The WIRED Lab, which is chiefly concerned with fostering and sustaining interdisciplinary art practices across regional Australia.

The WIRED Lab curates a range of activities on the property, often incorporating the 'wire' instruments - one of which extends for a couple of hundred metres over a deep valley. Since the wires are exposed to the elements, they are highly partial to the influence of temperature variance and degrees of wind, and are capable of producing impressively sustained (and diverse) resonances and timbre which can be heard by listening in close proximity to one of the posts at either ends of the wires. You can listen to some of the recordings made by the WIRED Lab team over at their website (see link below).

During the workshop we spent time with Dave Burraston and Alan Lamb as they guided us through the development of the wires and their various applications. We took the time to interact with the wires in a number of ways - including bowing, rubbing and even exciting the wires using a bit of improvised transduction! I've never looked at polystyrene and huge loudspeakers the same way again.

WIRED EARS culminated in the nearby (tiny) township of Muttama for the Wired Open Day, which invited the local community and visitors to experience the recent activities of The WIRED Lab's facilitators and visiting artists across a diverse program of works in the form of performance and installation. Whilst in-situ, I documented the four days of the workshop on my blog (see links below).

WIRED EARS was also an amazing opportunity to meet other artists from across the country, and I made some close contacts during this time. Beyond the great time we had together at the WIRED Lab, the nights of drinking and carousing at the local pubs in Cootamundra are enduring memories I recall fondly.


THE WIRED LAB is an artist led organisation evolving interdisciplinary art practices in rural Australia. We create opportunities for the research, production and presentation of projects that connect international and local artists with communities in new ways. Our curated programs and projects involve artists working from a regional context whilst producing outcomes of local and global relevance. Our activities range from skills development for young people, seniors, emerging and mid career artists, to the creation, presentation, publication and promotion of new works and major live arts projects.

  • The WIRED Lab
    For a more comprehensive take on this trip, check out these posts on my blog.
    WIRED EARS - Days 1-3
    WIRED EARS - Day 4 (Wired Open Day 2011)






  • WIRED EARS in-situ, The Wired Lab, New South Wales. Photos: TLR.