Last fall, tropical songbirds and other soothing sounds of Mexico’s Calakmul Biosphere Reserve rang out on Mitchell Street for two hours during each day’s rush hour.
Mitchell Street Arts broadcast the “soundscape” to 11 radio-connected speakers along its namesake street as a “remix of the concept of community space and contemporary art,” says Rew Gordon, the organization’s former co-leader who led the project. The sounds were chosen after listening sessions – the community meeting type – last summer.
“The neighborhood outside has been historically a landing spot for immigrants from around the world,” Gordon says. “We wanted to design the soundscape project to reflect people’s idea of home, wherever that may be.” The speakers, taken down for winter, are expected to return this month with a new, as yet unannounced theme.
