Acoustic Memories \\ MONOM

An immersive spatial audio installation exploring the acoustic memory of extraction and the hidden infrastructures beneath Barnsley’s industrial landscape.

MONOM presents Acoustic Memories, an immersive spatial audio installation to explore the acoustic memory of extraction and the hidden infrastructures beneath Barnsley’s industrial landscape. Drawing on archival research, industrial histories, and the evolving ecologies that have emerged in their wake, the work forms a dense sonic composition that moves between hyperreal atmosphere and surreal abstraction.

The installation positions sound as a form of spatial archaeology, addressing the social histories and invisible infrastructures that continue to shape the region. Using the spatial capabilities of MONOM’s 4D sound system, the installation reveals a landscape shaped by larger forces while interweaving the resilience of the ecologies and communities that persist.

Blending memory, historical fragments, and abstract sonic experimentation, the work asks how sound can carry traces of labour, collective experience, and industrialisation across generations. In doing so, it reflects on the enduring presence of post/industry and how these forces continue to shape the societies that surround and uphold them.

Acoustic Memories by MONOM was commissioned and produced by Abandon Normal Devices (AND) for AND Festival 2026 with development and touring support from Full Of Noises. Supported using public funding through the National Lottery by Arts Council England, with further support from Barnsley Council.