Lawrence Abu Hamdan
Lawrence Abu Hamdan was born in 1985 in Amman, Jordan, and lives and works in London. Known as the “Private Ear”, he holds a doctorate from the University of London on the role of sound in legal investigations and is the founder of Earshot (2023), a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to audio research for human rights and environmental advocacy. His practice spans forensic reports, films, performances, publications, and exhibitions. His work has been presented at MoMA New York, MUAC Mexico, the 22nd Biennale of Sydney, the 58th Venice Biennale, the 11th Gwangju Biennale, and the 34th São Paulo Biennial, and is held in collections such as the Museo Reina Sofia, MoMA, the Guggenheim, the Hamburger Bahnhof, Centre Pompidou, and Tate Modern. He has received awards including the Edvard Munch Art Award (2019), the Nam June Paik Award (2016), and was a joint winner of the Turner Prize (2019).
THE DIARY OF A SKY
2024
video 45′
In The Diary of a Sky, Lawrence Abu Hamdan channels the continuing presence of Israeli fighter jets and drones over Beirut. Narrated in diary form and drawing from his large personal archive of audio recordings, the artist investigates sound as evidence of ongoing intrusions of Lebanese airspace. The nonstop presence of Israeli military flights and the hum of generators during blackouts form a haunting symphony of violence. Daily life is transformed by the weaponization of the air, generating noise that has become something ordinary and familiar. The sky, once a symbol of freedom, is now saturated with fear, surveillance, and psychological oppression.