Walled Unwalled and Other Monologues

Lawrence Abu Hamdan: Walled Unwalled and Other Monologues -- Performance Program

The Kravis Studio will host a series of ticketed performances by Lawrence Abu Hamdan, with three works each being presented in two evening performances and one matinee performance over three weeks during the exhibition:

After SFX (2018)

Saturday, April 8, 8:00 PM

Sunday, April 9, 3:00 PM*

Monday, April 10, 8:00 PM

After SFX is prompted by Abu Hamdan’s investigations into crimes that are heard but not seen. The artist explores sounds described by “earwitnesses” in interviews conducted by Abu Hamdan or sourced from trial manuscripts. In order to facilitate their testimonies, Abu Hamdan built hybrid objects, created to unlock witnesses’ acoustic memories, called Earwitness Inventory (2018–ongoing). A selection of these sculptures will be activated in the live performance. 

Following the performance on April 9, the artist will appear in conversation with curator Ana Janevski.

Air Pressure (2021)

Friday, June 2, 2023 at 8:00p.m.

Saturday, June 3, 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, June 4, 3:00 p.m.*

Air Pressure draws on research, conducted between May 2020 and May 2021, into the aerial soundscape of Lebanon, documenting 2,412 instances of Israeli fighter jets and drones. Through chronological sequencing and live audio processing, the performance analyzes the relationship between background noise and atmospheres of violence. 

Natq (2019)

Friday, June 9, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, June 10, 8:00 p.m.

Sunday. June 11, 3:00 p.m.*

In Arabic, natq, meaning “to vocalize,” is also the word that is used to describe speech that has been transmigrated from the living to the dead. In this performance, Abu Hamdan examines the politics of listening to reincarnated testimonies—accounts from witnesses who can testify to long and continuous crimes that leak across generations and threaten the future.

Capacity for all performances is limited and advance registration is required.

*The installation of Lawrence Abu Hamdan's Walled Unwalled will be closed during regular Museum hours on April 9, June 4, and June 11, except for the 3:00 p.m. performances.