When sound is no longer the only medium of perception, how do we listen?

In this lecture-performance, artists Cheng Nga Yan and Larry Shuen explore shared experiences of listening among hearing impaired and hearing communities. Through vibration, movement, language, and embodied perception, they investigate diverse modes of listening that emerge through the interplay of different senses.

The program includes two participatory workshops and a lecture-performance. The lecture-performance examines alternative representations of sound, including sound-related vocabulary in Hong Kong Sign Language and the expressive gestures of musicians. By engaging with non-traditional modes of perception, participants are invited to equip their bodies with a kind of listening “plug-in”—an extension that enables listening beyond hearing.


Ear Plug-In: Workshop

Session 1
In this workshop, led by sound artist Cheng Nga Yan, participants will explore sound through their hands and multiple senses. Participants will assemble simple electronic components—combining oscillators and contact microphones—and experiment with everyday materials such as paper, metal, and glass to create unique rhythmic sounds. Lights and vibrations will be incorporated to allow participants to directly see and feel sound in new ways. Yan will also share her experience in sound art and creative practice, inspiring participants to notice subtle sonic details in daily life—such as traffic signals or rhythmic footsteps—and to rethink approaches to listening.