Hello Wanderer

Hello Wanderer is an interactive audio project that is mapping the sounds and stories of public spaces in Melbourne in the contemporary moment. Local residents are invited to contribute recordings made on their personal mobile devices that describe public locations in their neighbourhood—spaces that they have uncovered a new appreciation for during daily walks in the recent months during Covid-19 restrictions. From October 15-18, when the project is live, the accumulated recordings can be explored through an interactive map—either as a self-guided audio walk or remotely from a computer at home. Collectively, these audio recordings will produce a sonic picture of the area in this unique and strange time from the perspective of its inhabitants. This project aims to create a sense of digital intimacy between participants as they listen to the recorded stories and uncover new ways of experiencing familiar places. Hello Wanderer is a part of a special remote version of Art Prospect – annual festival of public art. The curatorial theme of this Art Prospect Festival is “treasure hunt”. This year’s offering has an emphasis on using augmented reality to document treasures revealed in this time of rapid change — capturing what is important to us today, what details of everyday life we will remember, and what public spaces we have uncovered a new relationship to. This project acknowledges the Wurundjeri people and elders past and present of the Kulin Nations as the traditional custodians of the land and waterways of inner north Melbourne. For more info, visit: www.sarahburrell.info/home/hello-wanderer/