this is a voice

studioplusthree were commissioned to design this exhibition for the Powerhouse Museum Ultimo in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust (London), “This is a Voice” explores the qualities of the human voice- its form, weight and body. The exhibition allows visitors to contemplate the power of voice before and beyond words, and to examine the human voice in an immersive way. An acoustic journey, the experience blends theatre, video, visuals and sound to discover how meaning and emotions are conveyed through vocal patterns of rhythm, stress and intonation.

Originally presented at the Wellcome Trust in the UK in 2016, the exhibition features a number of contemporary artists, vocalists and installations exploring the nature of the human voice. Our scope was to develop an approach specifically for MAAS, working with a number of Australian artists commissioned for the exhibition to develop new installations and artworks. The exhibition is supplemented by the inclusion of medical, scientific and technological content from the MAAS collection and indigenous historical and contemporary cultural material.