Listening to Victory Square

Abstract

In this paper, I will share my experiences in listening to  Victory Square, a city square I lived in front of for three years. During this span of time, I recorded the square’s soundscape from my bedroom window, maintained a  field recording journal, created art works in response to listening, and grappled with the reality of engaging with a  vulnerable location, which was home for many, while I  lived 6 stories above it. When I began this listening endeavour, I was worried about how my field recording practice could ethically co-exist with Victory Square. By maintaining a field recording journal, I was able to deepen my connection to the square, and with time, my practice began evolving in conversation with the square. I  will take the reader through my creation phases and how I  came to certain methodologies. In addition to sharing my work with you, it is my hope to position self-reflexive field recording as a tool that can help us think about and  work with vulnerable locations that are often excluded from conversations.