Neolithic Cannibals: Deep Listening to the Unheard
A socially engaged sound art project and exhibition from the young people of Whitehawk and East Brighton, artist Simon James (who was born and raised in Whitehawk), and Class Divide.
Explored through the deep time history of the Neolithic in East Brighton and the contemporary soundscape of Whitehawk, the Neolithic Cannibals exhibition mixes archaeology, psycho-geography, sound art, and activism. The work will transport audiences to a place where imaginative and fantastical sounds invite deep listening to an area that is hidden and unheard.
Through a series of workshops, young people in Whitehawk have listened to the contemporary environment of East Brighton using the Whitehawk Hill Neolithic Camp, discovered in 1929 through a geophysical listening technique known as Bosing, as a focal point and inspiration for their sonic explorations.
Neolithic Cannibals will recreate the Neolithic Camp - a place of communion, celebration, and ritual, as a compassionate listening space inviting audiences to discover Whitehawk's richness, joy, playfulness, and hope, empowering local voices through rarely explored sonic expressions.
Audiences will leave with a deeper appreciation for empathetic listening, and consider the power of collective effort and the part we all play in addressing complex and current social issues
Presented in partnership with Lighthouse
The main exhibition will be accompanied by a series of talks, walks and workshops around the themes explored in the exhibition:
Making Social Change Happen
Thu 9 May, 6.30pm | Lighthouse Project Space | FREE
On Mon 22 Jan 2024, the city’s leaders cast a historic vote, one that promised to reshape the educational landscape for our children, a first step in realising equitable education in the city of Brighton and Hove.
But how did we get here? What did Class Divide do to get to this point in time?
Whitehawk Neolithic Camp guided walk
Tue 14 May, 6pm | Whitehawk Hill Local Nature Reserve | FREE
Explore the site that inspired the Neolithic Cannibals exhibition, with archaeologist Jon Sygrave and sound artist Simon James.
A 60 minute guided walk exploring one of Britain's earliest monuments, its people, its excavation, and the deep listening that inspired the Neolithic Cannibals exhibition.
Visit the Class Divide website for More Activity
