Listening Grounds

Listening Grounds arises out of a two-part workshop emerging from a transnational collaboration between The Margate School of Art (UK) and the École Supérieure d’Art Dunkerque (FR). Developed by Amias Hanley and Melissa Ryke, Listening Grounds unfolds as an exploration of listening, not simply as perception, but as an embodied, situated, and political practice. Bringing together students and staff from both institutions, the project traces a shared enquiry across coastal sites on either side of the English Channel. From the concrete bunkers embedded within the shifting dunes of Leffrinckoucke, to the monumental acoustic forms of the Denge Sound Mirrors in Dungeness, the works presented emerge through fieldwork, recording, performance, and transmission. These sites, once designed for surveillance, detection, and defence become grounds for rethinking how listening operates across histories, infrastructures, and environments. The exhibition gathers materials, recordings, reflections, and critical responses developed through the workshops, alongside contributions that extend the project’s investigation into sonic practices, acoustic evidence, and the politics of attention. This is the second iteration of the exhibition and brings together works from students and recent graduates of The Margate School of Art and the Ecole Superieure d’Art Dunkerque-Tourcoing, including; Yuwen Hu, Xinyu Zhong, Lea Dal Zilio, Max Lelostec, Sofiane Dahmoun, Frédérique Leys, Lilou Duez, Josie Carter and George Watkin. Opening and publication launch Thursday 29th October 6pm-9pm Meet the artists Friday 30th October 1pm-3pm Open 30th October - 12th November Tuesday - Saturday 10am-4pm