DEEP LISTENING

is one of two key media experiences in the First Peoples permanent exhibition at the Bunjilaka Cultural Centre, Melbourne Museum (AU). Winner of the 26th annual American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Excellence in Exhibitions Competition (2014), this innovative exhibition focuses on Aboriginal Victorian culture, tradition, values and language.

Deep Listening is the result of a long term collaboration with the staff of Museum Victoria and a broad spectrum of the Victorian Koori community. Comprised of 50 interviews with Koori’s from across the State, Deep Listening is a survey of community viewpoints and experience.

Each 45 minute interview comprised a series of questions about aboriginal Culture, Identity, Country, Rights and Family. In addition special sections including personal biographic introductions, listening and responding to previous participants responses. Many of the participants are prodigious performers – actors, singer/songwriters, crafts people – so where appropriate they generously shared their songs, poems, possum skin cloaks and carved emu eggs.

Custom software was developed to display up to 8 interviewees at once – with clips being selected in real-time that are associativity, emotionally and topically relevant to one another.

The work is presented across two curved, full HD screens, with participants projected at life size, allowing the audience to truly engage in “the processes of deep and respectful listening”.