This Is A Voice

Wellcome Collection

This exhibition looked inside vocal tracts, restless minds and speech devices to capture the elusive nature of the human voice. It explored how the unique grain of our voice locates us socially, geographically and psychologically, and how it is utterly flexible and can be altered with treatment and training. Designed as an acoustic journey, the spotlight was cast on the meaning and emotions conveyed through patterns of rhythm, stress and intonation. Non-verbal communication was emphasised, revealing the power of the voice before and beyond words. The exhibition also presented works by artists and vocalists, punctuated by paintings, manuscripts, medical illustrations and ethnographic objects.