A Counting is an ongoing series of software-generated live-streamed sound and video works composed of an evolving neverending count from 1 to 100, featuring a different crowd-sourced voice and language for each number. As a vocal portrait and sonic meditation, it explores the ethnic and linguistic diversity of US cities.
Starting in 2019 with New York City, we've been collaborating with museums and local communities to create ongoing site-specific editions for Boston-Cambridge (‘22–), Ogden (‘21–), Omaha (‘21–), St. Louis (‘21–), and Houston (‘20–). We invite locals to call our city hotlines and count in languages they have ethnic or cultural ties to. There are also editions for Indigenous and signed languages that are in development. Each spoken language edition includes a webpage, hotline, sound and video streams. Across all the editions, the work includes over 125 languages from over 1000 participants. All editions are free and accessible to the public within the hours of the gallery and 24/7, both over the phone and online.
Current Exhibitions
- A Counting: Boston-Cambridge at the MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA, October 2, 2022–May 31, 2023
- A Counting: St. Louis at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, Ongoing
- A Counting: Houstonat the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Houston, TX, Ongoing
Previous Exhibitions
- A Counting: Ogden at the Mary Elizabeth Dee Shaw Gallery at Weber State University Ogden, UT, January 29–April 22, 2022
- All Together, Amongst Many: Reflections on Empathyfeaturing A Counting: Omaha and Deconstructed Anthems: Nebraska 12 (2015) at the Bemis Center For Contemporary Arts, Omaha, NE, June 5–September 19, 2021
- Who We Are: Visualizing NYC by the Numbers, featuring A Counting: New York City at the Museum of the City of New York, New York City, NY, November 22, 2019–October 18, 2020