‘loop30 – the listening room at the abraxas arts centre’ is indebted to the ‘acoustic turn’ towards the practice of hearing/listening. Opened in November 2015, this audio gallery brings the sound of varying audio works to the foyer of the community arts centre in Augsburg, Germany. The offer that ‘loop30’ makes to its visitors is fundamentally different from the muzak forced on visitors of far too many public spaces. ‘loop30’ presents subtle sounds that operate in an intermediate zone between everyday sound and artistically crafted sound. Thus the foyer, itself an intermediate zone through which people move into various other parts of the building such as a visual arts gallery or restaurant, is an ideal space for presenting such work. The installations in the foyer can stimulate the passing visitor as well as offer surprising discoveries to those who take the time to listen more closely.
