Sounding the Collection

Sounding the Collection was a response to the extensive digitisation project at Powerhouse which began in 2019, and set out to capture images of 338,000 items from the Powerhouse Collection, allowing for new levels of access. Sounding the Collection focuses on capturing the sonic possibilities of some of these objects.

In the Powerhouse Collection stores in Castle Hill, over 18 months staff would audio record a selection of objects in a small, bright orange sound booth.

Amounting to over 100 recordings designed to be shared publicly, inviting artistic interpretation and collaboration. These recordings allow musicians, researchers and sound designers globally to repurpose and interpret them via a ‘sample pack’ – potentially finding their way into sonic identities, movie soundtracks, foley, pop songs and sound installations.