The Ear Witness: Turner Prize-Winner Lawrence Abu Hamdan and His 'Sound Evidence' Exposés of Human Rights Abuses
From killings in Gaza to the alleged use of a sonic weapon on a vigil in Belgrade, the Lebanese-British artist reveals how his work for activist group Earshot is inseparable from his art.
TL;DR
- Lawrence Abu Hamdan is both a Turner Prize-winning artist and the director of Earshot, an NGO founded in 2023 that uses sound evidence to investigate human rights abuses.
- Earshot analyzes sound data, including bullet trajectories and testimonies, to investigate alleged killings and the use of sonic weapons.
- Abu Hamdan's artistic and investigative work are inseparable, with his research profoundly influencing his art, and some cases resulting in artworks.
- The organization uses a combination of open-source data, 'earwitness' testimonies, and sound recordings to build their cases.
- Recent investigations include analyzing bullet fire at emergency workers in Gaza and the alleged use of a sonic weapon to disperse a silent protest in Belgrade.