spuiplein

A walk around Spuiplein and Amare. An imaginary soundscape. credits: Field recording: Giorgio Zangarini Composition: Rita Silva Mixing: Rita Silva Mastering: Giorgio Zangarini Cover art: Simon Fairless

In the silence that wraps around you, do you feel the subtle heartbeat of anticipation, like the quiet before a storm; Or is it merely the echo of your own steps? As you wander through the shadows in the narrow corridors, do they whisper timeless stories, or are they merely fragments of your imagination?

Modified, straightened, covered, and invisible water bodies – though they cannot be easily seen or heard – have always been there, making sounds. The Lament of the Water invites listeners to access The Hague’s waterscape from a different vantage point through active, embodied listening. By combining site-specific field recordings, water-memory narratives from diverse cultures and perspectives evoked by the same landscape, and guided on-site listening instructions, these elements intertwine to form a polyphony of urban nature. This soundwalk aims to attune one’s senses, expand their listening spectrum, and reestablish connections with the vibrant matters surrounding them. The starting point for the audio walk is at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, in front of the Rijkskantoor at Rijnstraat 8, Den Haag.

Sounds we forget to hear, between visible and invisible, how can listening helps us embody the space we live in?

"Banana peppers Scattered too near the slice point Make the pizza bend After dark: blind man Taps his way down a dirt path Pizza box in hand" Starting point: Mr Donner Kebab shop, Spui AudioWalk piece by František Hruška and Yannis Mihos.