Echoes of Place: A Spatial Memory Sound Walk of the MIX Center

Echoes of Place is an experimental sound walk that listens to the histories circulating around the ASU MIX Center and treats the surrounding blocks as a spatial archive of memory. As visitors move, they activate sonic traces of the many worlds that have shaped this area: the flowing irrigation networks of the Akimel O’odham (Pima) and Pee Posh (Maricopa) peoples; the agricultural presence and church-centered community built by the The early Mormon settlers of Mesa; the massive WWII hangar relocated here after the war to host the Maricopa County Fair; and the midcentury hum of El Portal hotel alive with a lively bar, over 55 rooms that hosted Spring Training guests including players from the Chicago Cubs. The MIX Center becomes the newest layer in this evolving constellation, adding the contemporary frequencies of film, game, and media creation. Through sound, Echoes of Place lets listeners drift through overlapping eras, experiencing downtown Mesa as a living field of memory where past and present resonate together in space.

Thank you to Dr. Kristy H.A. Kang, Sven Ortel, Dr. Jamie Kirtz, Shaney Blackburn-Aguirre, Victor Linoff, David Crummey, and the Mesa Room @ Mesa Library.