Lawrence Abu Hamdan
A guide to the moving image artists that move culture → Lawrence Abu Hamdan is a “Private Ear” who investigates audio testimonies and the politics of listening.
Artists
Who is Lawrence Abu Hamdan?
Lawrence Abu Hamdan is a contemporary artist, filmmaker and audio investigator who lives and works between London and Dubai. Born in Jordan to a Lebanese father and English mother, Hamdan spent his formative years in York. He received a BA at Middlesex University in London in 2007 and finished his postgraduate studies at Goldsmiths, University of London, acquiring a MA and a PhD in 2010 and 2016, respectively.
What defines Hamdan's work?
Lawrence Abu Hamdan has taken the moniker of “Private Ear,” an apt description of the main focus of his art and the trajectory of his research. He delves into the questions that are fundamental to understanding the political and legal applications and role of audio testimonies, and the conditions under which they are scrutinized, what he describes as the “politics of listening.” In an era where advanced technologies are being used to amplify and disseminate the human right to freedom of speech, Hamdan highlights the oppressive application of these same technologies for state and security surveillance, essentially warping the original intent behind this human right and transforming it into a liability.
Relying on his own experience in the DIY music scene, Hamdan has applied the logic of music production to create works across video, installation, performance and sound that explore the significance that listening has in how we comprehend conflicts, injustice, and our environment. Through his investigations into geopolitical conflicts, international human rights cases, and individual legal or political claims, Hamdan contemplates the latent potentialities that are nestled in new modes of listening. He has collected a voluminous database of sound effects which serve as a repository for acoustic experiences and earwitness testimony in legal and advocacy cases.
Where have Hamdan's works been displayed?
Lawrence Abu Hamdan has had his works featured at major solo and group exhibitions at Tate Modern in London, Kunstinstituut Melly in Rotterdam, the Armory Show in New York, Sfeir-Semler Gallery Beirut, Mor Charpentier Paris, Museum of Modern Art in New York, Mudam Luxembourg and many other institutions.
He has also participated in prominent festivals and biennials, such as British Art Show 8 (2015-17), 3rd New Museum Triennial (2015), Liverpool Biennial (2016), 11th Gwangju Biennale (2016) and the 58th Venice Biennial (2019).
What awards and/or other recognition has Lawrence Abu Hamdan received?
Lawrence Abu Hamdan's investigations into the political contextualization of recorded sound and silence has garnered him international recognition, among others the Grand Prix at Kurzfilmtage Winterthur, the 2020 Toronto Biennial Audience Award, the 2019 Edvard Munch Art Award, the award for best short film at the 2017 International Film Festival Rotterdam and the 2016 Nam June Paik Award for new media. For his work on the installation Saydnaya (the Missing 19dB), Hamdan was honored with the 2019 Turner Prize, alongside artists Helen Cammock, Oscar Murillo and Tai Shani.
What projects is Hamdan involved in?
Lawrence Abu Hamdan has held a series of fellowships and guest professorships, most notably at the University of Chicago, the New School in New York and at Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz. For his investigative research into the political and legal context of sound and acoustic environments, Hamdan was inducted as a research fellow at Forensic Architecture, a multidisciplinary artistic research group that produces and presents spatial evidence related to human rights violations and state crimes. In 2023, Hamdan founded the NGO Earshot, a nonprofit organization that produces audio investigations for human rights and environmental advocacy.
Where can I find more information about Lawrence Abu Hamdan?
Information on Lawrence Abu Hamdan can be found on his site and on IG. He is represented by Mor Charpentier Paris, Sfeir-Semler Gallery Beirut and Maureen Paley. For those interested in reading more about the artist, check out these interviews on the Brooklyn Rail, BOMB magazine and the New Yorker.