(EN) Open the Night, Gropius Stadt

Open the Night is a sound walk by Jeremy Knowles addressing the topic of light pollution.

It uses geospatial audio technology, which enables sounds to become activated when a device using GPS (a mobile phone held by you, the visitor) enters a specific zone. There are five zones to find and explore, with other hidden sound zones along the way. The closer you are to the centre of the zone, the louder the sound will become.

This experience requires visitors to have a smartphone or iPhone and headphones to participate. You must also be physically present at this location to access the walk. Simply put on your headphones and explore the area to discover what moths have to say about light.

The walk is also available in German and German Sign Language (DGS). To access the DGS videos, click or tap the zone you are currently in, select 'see more', and then start the video player.

FAQ's:

• What can I expect? A site-specific, multi-channel sound walk lasting around 20-40mins, depending upon your engagement.

• Is the content of the walk appropriate for children? Absolutely. Open the Night is suitable for all ages.

• Do I have to pay to participate? Nope, there is no fee for participation. Echoes is a free-to-download app and Open the Night is a free-to-stream walk.

• Who is Jeremy Knowles? Jeremy Knowles (he/him) is a British artist whose practice is rooted in sensing and recording the urban environment, often by walking. He grew up on a farm in Hertfordshire, far away from the glow of street lamps.

Contributors:

• Script Writer: Lainey Molloy
• Music Producer: Jonathan Knowles
• Voice Actors: Marina Resende Santos, Rowan Coupland, Brea Robertson, Amber Fasquelle, Rob Atkinson, Franziska Anastasia Lentes, Carina Zox, Fritz Bücker, Marysa Abbas
• Sign Language Actor: Marko Salutzki
• Sign Language Consultant: Anna-Lena Eberle
• DGS Communication Assistant: Matthew Finnemore
• German to DGS Translation: Marko Salutzki
• English to German Translation: Franziska Anastasia Lentes
• Recording and Mixing: Lucas Laufen
• Videographer: Nicolai Alber
• Photographer: Izzy Dempsey

Thank you:

• Pauline Doutreluingne and Anton Kats for your encouragement in our classes at Kunsthochschule Weißensee.
• Josh Spriggs and Valentin Schack for your time and great care in creating our test recordings.
• Josh Kopeček and Ganga Clayton-Oakley from Echoes for providing this amazing technology and helping me solve technical issues.
• Moritz Grünke, from We Make It in Berlin, for your Riso printing skills and advice.
• Anette Krop-Benesch, Thomas Schielke, Karin Dörpmund, Sabine Frank, Etta Dannemann, and Nona Schulte-Römer for our various discussions about light and the night.

Funding:

DRAUSSENSTADT, Stiftung für Kulturelle Weiterbildung und Kulturberatung, Senatsverwaltung für Gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt

Press: https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/bezirke/klangkunst-zum-thema-lichtverschmutzung-sprechende-motten-am-bahnhof-berlin-lichtenberg-10540534.html

Find out more at: www.openthenight.de