Street Wisdom - Expressions from the street
We took a Zoom recorder onto Auckland streets and conducted live interviews and recordings in order for people who make the street their home or workplace to be able to give us their perspective of living in the city.
We weaved the recordings together to create an audio journey through the heart of Auckland streets - illuminating and hard hitting at times, the audio journey also has moments of beautiful ambiance and allows one buskers notes to blend into another as the journey continues.
Street Wisdom is an audio journey of buskers, poets, workers and kainga kore (homeless) from Auckland.
Taking a Zoom recorder onto Auckland streets, we conduct live interviews and capture streetscape and ambient recordings. We weave the recordings together in studio later, to create an audio journey through the heart of Auckland streets - illuminating and hard hitting at times, the audio journey also has moments of beautiful ambience and allows one buskers notes to blend into another, and merge with spoken word interviews as the journey continues.
We created Street Wisdom in order for people who make the city their home or workplace, to be able to give us their perspective of living or working in the city; or to answer questions about enhancement for the urban environment and constructive ways to improve city cohesiveness.
The finished recording serves as an audio postcard through our city streets, and can be presented in a variety of ways, including online, physical listening booths, or coupled with a visual art project.
The completed audio journey has been produced for buskers to sell on the street. There are many people in our city who have experiences of living in apartments, houses, on the street or in temporary situations. All of these residents have important perspectives to share about the current state of the city, and what could be done to improve the sense of community. Many of these people don't currently have a voice – but they do have important stories to tell and perspectives to offer. The core aim of ‘Street Wisdom’ is to form a greater sense of connection in Auckland, celebrating the vibrancy and diversity of this cultural hub.
Listen to the audio through the player above or on Soundcloud.
Supported by Waitemata Local Board and Auckland Council, and produced in co-operation with Splice, Street Wisdom was a unique and valued project.