Listening to Archives: Sound and Testimonies of HIV/AIDS

Samuel Perea-Díaz’s research centres around sound work produced during the first wave of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The artistic research explores attentive hearing as a form of empathy, but also acknowledges the history of arts and its sounds in their specific relation with the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Join us for an insightful artist talk with artist and researcher Samuel Perea-Díaz. This talk shares reflections about practices of listening to archives of HIV/AIDS.

The tour focuses on the individual and collective testimonies embedded in sound focused art pieces from late 80s and 90s. During the presentation it will discuss questions of sound preservation, concepts of hearing and being heard when signaling the impact of the epidemic of HIV/AIDS on sound arts.

The presentation will explore:

Sound as Testimony
The power of auditory archives in preserving HIV/AIDS narratives
Individual and collective voices embedded in sound art pieces
The concept of attentive hearing as a form of empathy

Archival Practices and Preservation
Challenges and methods in sound preservation
The importance of maintaining audio records of the HIV/AIDS crisis

Sound Art and the HIV/AIDS Epidemic
The relationship between sound arts and the first wave of the HIV/AIDS epidemic
How artists used sound to signal the impact of the crisis
The evolution of hearing and being heard in the context of HIV/AIDS

Samuel Perea-Díaz is a cross-disciplinary artist, researcher and lecturer. His practice spans architecture, curation and sound art. This talk is part of Samuel’s ongoing PhD research in Fine Arts at the Complutense University of Madrid.

The presentation will conclude with a Q&A session, allowing attendees to engage directly with the artist and delve deeper into this compelling intersection of art, sound, and social history.

This event is part of the AIDS Memorial Exhibition program at Instinct Berlin, dedicated to commemorating lives affected by AIDS and celebrating progress in awareness and treatment. It builds upon Samuel’s previous curatorial project, “An AIDS Walkthrough,” produced in collaboration with Eric Le Rouge at WeAreVillage for instinct #12.
Join us for this unique exploration of sound, memory, and the enduring impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on art and society.

About Instinct
Instinct.berlin is an art organization that presents exhibitions featuring queer artists biannually at Village, a community center for queer individuals in Berlin. These exhibitions, along with performances and talks, foster interaction between artists and the local community. The residency program allows artists to immerse themselves in Village’s vibrant environment, creating a bridge between their work and the broader queer community. This collaboration enhances the cultural dialogue and supports the development of queer art projects, enriching both the artists and the community at large. Kindly supported by