The Kent Medway Museums National Portfolio Organisation Partnership (KMM NPO) are seeking proposals from sound artists to create new audio artworks to be accessioned as permanent artefacts within the museum collections. ‘Ten Songs for a Lar’ is an ambitious new commission searching for multiple audio interpretations of a bronze ‘Lar’ – a household god figurine (dated circa. 200AD) held in the collections at The Guildhall Museum, Rochester, UK.

Click here for the application / registration

Deadline: 15 Jun 2020

This commission is part of the KMM NPO’s ambition to produce artworks that encourage audiences to think about ‘What is collecting? What makes a display? Which stories are being told at museums and how?’ Museum objects, often grouped in predefined, restricted spaces sit silently, sparsely captioned, awaiting the attention of further, deeper, exploration. Museums do not just collect, care, and exhibit objects; they categorise, contextualise, and interpret objects to fulfill their own, and their intended audiences, requirements. The many stories behind these often human made objects, and the emotive connections they intend to make, can therefore become difficult to obtain.

The KMM NPO is looking to appoint 10 musicians or artists (from across the globe) working with sound to create individual, thought provoking, emotive works to interpret a Lar figurine – an inherently ‘traditional’ museum object. Without the need for images, physical presence, and perhaps even words, we want to know: ‘what does this object say to you, and what stories do you wish to give voice to, and bring to life, through music and sound?’.

Ten Songs For A Lar: Benefits

Successful artists will receive £1,000 per selected track (inclusive of VAT).

Inspired by the Guildhall Lar, the commission will comprise of 10 separate audio responses. The 10 audio responses will:

• Become permanent digital artefacts accessioned (added to) the collections of the NPO partners
• Made into a physical, limited-edition vinyl record to be deposited in each of the museums partners collections
• Be promoted individually and as a group of audio tracks (album)
• Exhibited together as part of a touring exhibition/display
• Through the process of this commission the KMM NPO also intends to achieve broader aims of:
• Showing and interpreting collections in new and exciting ways
• Reaching new, and broader audiences
• Extend the cultural offering at each of the partner organisations
• Promote a diverse and varied point of view in response to traditional museum items
• Continue to challenge the boundaries of commissioning within museums by embracing non-physical, non-visual, creative outputs
• Maximise the potential of those working from home, via digital platforms and the ability to work and share creativity within the current climate
• Lead innovatively, and with flexibility – supporting and showcase artist otherwise unable to currently work and develop their practice

About The Kent Medway Museums National Portfolio Organisation Partnership

The KMM NPO is a group of four museums (The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Canterbury Museums & Galleries, Guildhall Museum Rochester and Tunbridge Wells Museum & Gallery) funded by Arts Council England (ACE) to work together to deliver excellence in the use of collections and to inspire learning, creativity, and well-being to existing and new audiences in their communities.

For more information, contact luke.currall@tunbridgewells.gov.uk.