Voicing the Unspoken,
by Johann Diedrick & Amina Abbas-Nazari
Diedrick and Abbas-Nazari give voice to unheard voices in archival datasets. They address the increasingly convoluted line between human and synthesised speech, and examine the origin of synthetic voices that are speaking to us today. Using The New Real’s platform, they show how it is possible to use textual AI models to "fill in the gaps" of voices missing from historical data, produce speculative speech that never existed, and make those voices audible for contemporary ears.
About the Artists
Johann Diedrick (he/him) is an artist, engineer, and musician that makes installations, performances, and sculptures for experiencing the world through sonic encounter. He surfaces resonant histories of past interactions inscribed in material and embedded in space, peeling back vibratory layers to reveal hidden memories and untold stories. He shares his tools and techniques through listening tours, workshops, and open-source hardware/software. He founded A Quiet Life, a sonic engineering and research studio that designs and builds audio-related software and hardware products for revealing new sonic possibilities off the grid. His work has been featured in Wire Magazine, and presented internationally at MoMA PS1, Dia Art Foundation, NYC Parks Department, the New Museum, Ars Electronica, Science Gallery Dublin, and multiple NIME conferences, among others.
Amina Abbas-Nazari (she/they) is a practicing artist, researcher, and vocal performer. She is a graduate of the Royal College of Art and her current research and practice focuses on the sound and sounding of voices in artificially intelligent conversational systems. Amina has presented her work at the London Design Festival, Milan Furniture Fair, Venice Architecture Biennial, Critical Media Lab, Switzerland, Litost Gallery, Prague, Harvard University, America, Queen Mary University, Barbican Centre and V&A museum.