Please choose an object to hear the sound.

"Lifeboat" is about rather involuntary sea journeys.

The work consists of a sequence of four scenes and starts with an announcement on an plane - the description of emergency procedures. Then the story continues to the acoustic events on a ferry. The case of a disaster is here repeatedly described as the "very unlikely event". Usually nobody listens to such announcements - who likes to think about the scenario, when he/she is drifting in a rubber boat on the ocean pressed up against a lot of strangers? The third scene is determined by a rhythmic alert, accompanied by the dull sound of a machine.
At first only the sound of the slowly moving water is heard in the last scene. After a while the sound of an engine gets closer and then vanishes again. Finally only the splashing of the waves is staying.

A "Lifeboat" is presented in combination with each sound. They are models of inflatable rescue boats. Since they are made of fabrics with colourful african patterns they seem to be harmless toys at first sight. But they are also a reminder of the fate of african refugees who are trying to reach an alleged safety in Europe in their not always seaworthy vessels.

Each boat is presented on a pedestal. The sounds can be heard over four headphones.

Frauke Hänke, Hamburg 2012