“I like the wooden floor of the Delfina house. It contains its memory. I like to sit on the floor in my room and read or draw. Mostly, I walk around the house barefoot. I think my relationship with the house has become more personal this way. Recently, I watched a documentary about bioacoustics, where a researcher showed that elephants can hear through their feet. I believe that I can hear the house’s voice more clearly through my feet too.”
“I brought a few books with me to Delfina. Not many though, as I knew I’d be tempted to buy more here in London. Last week at the Whitechapel Gallery, I found this tiny book by Pauline Oliveros on quantum listening. Of course, I couldn’t resist and had to buy it. It’s a manifesto for listening as activism.”
“During my residency I am trying to process some materials I’ve already collected. Primarily a sonic archive of the small Czech village of Rybitví which has been the victim of industrial exploitation. I have been working in the village for about two years now. My aim is through re-inventing and re-telling old stories to reflect on key moments in the local history, on collective remembrance and forgetting, local imaginaries, and a certain collective trauma of dislocation swell as the exploitation of the soil. Here in London, the geographical and time distance as well as consultations with local artists and curators have helped me to see this archive from other perspectives. Among others, I met Amy Feneck from the Alternative School of Economics. I invited her for a walk which I recorded. Our walk and talk will become another part of my irregular series of ‘aimless walks’. I’ve just finished the editing. I am quite happy about it.”
“While here I have visited many galleries, museums, and different cultural events. It was a great joy to be able to see Sun & Sea – “the beach opera” – which was showing at The Albany in Deptford for two weeks as part of LIFT, London’s biennial international festival of theatre. I love exploring independent art projects – both on my own and with the other Delfina residents. During one of our gallery tour we visited Bold Tendencies or Flat Time House. They are amazing places with amazing people.”
“Last, but not least: currently I am experimenting with a clay, preparing for a participatory event which should happen in the autumn in the Swedish town Arvika. It will be a result of my other long-term art project focused on conscious listening to materials. It seems that everything somehow circulates around listening.”
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Šárka Zahálková (Czech Republic) is an artist-in-residence during Delfina Foundation’s summer 2022 season. Her residency is supported by Arts and Theatre Institute, Czech Centre London, and Kunsthalle Praha.
Photos artist’s own.