The term ‘ecotone’ was coined by naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace to describe transitional areas where different ecological communities meet. Ecotones are known for their richness of biodiversity and are often among the first environments to exhibit responses to climate change. Wallace considered these zones as points of tension, naming them after the Greek word for stress (tonos). Incidentally, the word ‘tone’, which is used to describe the characteristics of sound, has its origins in the same place.

This talk and workshop at ONCA Gallery will take the concept of the ecotone as a metaphorical site to examine what it might mean to listen ecologically, to listen in places of tension, to listen beyond binaries.

The session will be led by artist Joshua Le Gallienne and will provide a forum for considering sound within a queer framework with a particular focus on ecology. Joshua will start the session with a talk, presenting their research into the history of queer listening and sharing their first-hand insights into what a non-binary perspective on sound might entail. The second half of the session will be structured as a workshop. Participants will explore a range of listening exercises together and discuss the possible futures of queer listening.

The session is open to all. No prior knowledge or experience of the subject matter is required, only an interest in the topic. All materials will be provided on site.

This event is part of ONCA’s Lost Species Day 2022 programme, Queer(ing) Ecological Futures, a diverse range of online and in-person talks and workshops that celebrate imaginings of multiple possible futures beyond mainstream notions and investigate what it means to queer death and ‘extinction’. All events are free but donations are warmly welcomed. This year, any donations will go to ONCA, helping us continue our vital work of creatively challenging the driving forces of climate breakdown and biodiversity loss.

ABOUT JOSHUA

Joshua Le Gallienne (b.1985) is a non-binary British artist exploring sustainable and unconventional approaches to the production and perception of acoustic sound within an artistic context. Through sculpture, large-scale installation, and performance, the artist stages intimate experiences that explore the relationships between sound, physical materials and environmental phenomena.

Unusually, for an artist working predominantly with sound, Joshua does not use digital technologies, loudspeakers, or conventional sources of energy in their practice and operates primarily outside of a traditional gallery context. With each new piece, new materials and configurations are introduced. Previous works have employed pyrotechnics, blocks of ice, compressed air, carbonated liquids, and biodegradable plastic sheeting for their sonic qualities. Since 2012 Joshua’s work has been regularly presented in the UK and internationally, receiving numerous awards including The Auxiliary’s Sonic Arts Emerging Artist Exhibition Award (2019) and Sound and Music’s Francis Chagrin Award (2020).

Their work is unmediated and mostly undocumented, favouring in-situ presentations. In line with this the artist has no website or online presence.

ACCESS

ONCA Gallery has step-free access but the toilet is up five steps. There is an accessible toilet at North Laine pub, 100 metres from the gallery. Please email if you have any access enquiries.