The Sound Agents Arts/Cultural/Heritage organisation, formerly known as Chinapool is led by Moira and John Campbell, contemporary artists/oral historians whose work encapsulates the language and issues of the neighbourhood to co-create work with communities.
Based in Chinatown, the Sound Agents body of work includes two decades of documents, focussing on the design of a Museum for Chinatown. They are currently working in partnership with international designer Jyakuen Phenix to produce both a Virtual and Nomadic Museum
Keepers of the Liverpool Chinatown Oral History recorded in 2014, The Sound Agents recorded 40 face to face interviews with members of the Chinese community and dual heritage Chinese former residents of the Liverpool One area. Producing a verbatim play The Curious Disappearance of Mr Foo based on the forced deportation of Blue Funnel Chinese seamen who were repatriated from Liverpool in 1946 and the hardship encountered by the Liverpool Irish women who were left behind with young children.
Opera for Chinatown, a public art installation on 3 Georgian Terraces in Duke Street, visually told the personal stories of the seamen and their families and the Liverpool Chinese children who took part in the 1958 film the Inn of Sixth Happiness
Working as memory catchers The Sound Agents five seldom heard voices opportunities to share their stories through engagement with the arts.
Home
A short film made by Moira Kenny and John Campbell in Chung Hok House capturing the residents in their personal spaces in the Sheltered Accommodation reciting the word ‘home’ in their dialect.
The aim of the film is to capture a sense of time and space with Chinese Elders who migrated to Liverpool who have English as a second language to pass their heritage down to younger generations.
Chinatown My Chinatown Film
A short film featuring Bert Hardy’s Liverpool WW2 photographs and photographs from The Sound Agents Archive 2002 – 2015.
Chinatown my Chinatown Sound Installation
An audio montage of children and teachers from the Wah Sing Chinese Community Centre/School reciting the phrase Chinatown my Chinatown in Chinese and English. The installation was designed for the entrance hall for The Black-e during the Chinese New Year celebrations in 2011. The concept of the disco ball relates to consultation with Chinese community groups on the decline of Chinatown. One focus group member suggested that Chinatown is stuck in the 1970’s.
Photo Credit: Burt Hardy
Brought to you by The Sound Agents
