I enjoyed our class visit to the Hiwa K Gallery. During the visit, I spent my time roaming through the gallery, trying to experience all of the pieces. I was intrigued by the variety of work that came together to form this collection. Each digital piece was unique from the previous one I had experienced, which kept me captivated and wondering what I would be watching and hearing next as I wandered through the gallery. I started with “This Lemon Tastes of Apple” which was an overwhelming abundance of sound with a man protesting in the streets and Hiwa K playing a harmonica. I think this experience was enhanced with the headphones because I felt like I was a part of the protest and in the streets because I was completely immersed in the sounds of the situation. It started giving me a headache so I made my way to “Cooking with Mama.” This was focused on Hiwa K cooking Kurdish meals with friends in Germany, meanwhile his mom, who had not seen in four years, was on a Skype call. I wish I had taken the opportunity to experience the event in Commons earlier this year because I feel a deeper understanding for the event after experiencing this piece. As I continued through the gallery, I listened to narrations, experienced Hiwa K dancing in an abandoned prison, and heard the clinking of tools. I felt immersed with the pieces while experiencing them and enjoyed the experience with sound.
