Traditionally, “whispering campaigns” have been used to damage reputations or influence political outcomes. Pope.L’s Whispering Campaign transformed this notion into an immersive sound installation and performance, unfolding across the 100-day run of documenta14 in Athens and Kassel. Broadcast through speaker installations in public space, the work can be described as an abstraction—an atmosphere—that addressed the dark side of human nature, seeping into and permeating physical space and urban infrastructure.
Electronic speaker installations disseminated this content across public spaces. His pre-recorded score in English, Greek, and German consisted of original experimental texts written and compiled by Pope.L, including descriptions of the arrival of strangers to an alien city, randomly generated strings of numbers reminiscent of Cold War listening stations, labyrinthine geographic texts describing collaged architectures from Athens and Kassel, folk songs from the 1930s, and soundscapes. The project engaged oral traditions, mythologies, and conspiracies, attempting to give voice to the political and spiritual ghosts of contemporary Europe while addressing nationhood and borders.
These elements were expanded through live performances by five performers who moved through the city, whispering their on-site observations to the public. Confiding in strangers, Pope.L's elliptical yet biting aphorisms offered a minor history of the two cities—at times irritating, disturbing, and provoking, but also strangely elevating—blurring the boundaries between what was heard, hidden, visible, and imagined.
Working closely with Pope.L since his first visit to Athens in early 2016, I was in charge of:
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