Loudly Standing is a solo exhibition of paintings by Carey May due to run in artSPACE durban’s Middle Gallery.

“In the era of global communication, the onslaught of noise has reduced our ability to listen<” explains the artist. “Loudly Standing explores the balance between understanding a message and hearing only sound-bytes. The images of loudspeakers and water towers speak to the listener of the spaces in between sound where vital information can be retrieved. The water tower is a metaphor for the concentrated power of resources. The loudspeaker asked ambivalently: what are you listening to, noise or information? The portraits represent those who must resolve this tension.

“These metaphors are also directly pointing to the need to re-configure our knowledge of the environment: who controls it and for whose benefit? Sending out messages to transform our inner environment is one reason why this exhibition focuses on loudly protecting our resources.”

Loudly Standing runs at artSPACE durban from October 15 until November 3, 2007: