Whispering in the Leaves at Kew

Whispering in the Leaves at Kew Gardens is a special sound installation that immerses visitors in the world of the rainforests of South and Central America. Taking place as part of the Summer at Kew Garden events, the Palm House is the location for this special sensory experience.

Whispering in the Leaves at Kew
Bringing to London the sounds of the dawn and dusk choruses from the other side of the world, this installation replicates the calls of the birds, primates and the buzz of the insects as they wake up or go to sleep. Diffusing the famous Kew Palm House with noises more familiar to a lush tropical landscape than to leafy greater London, this is a truly stunning experience that will captivate visitors young and old.

Dawn to dusk
80 different speakers pipe the sounds of the jungle into the Palm House air throughout the duration of the day, with two separate soundscapes in the mix. Durin the morning, visitors to Whispering in the Leaves at Kew will be treated to the Dawn soundscape as the primates and birds awake and begin their daytime calls. In the afternoon however, the Dusk sounds recreate the nighttime noises of reptiles and insects that sounds less familiar to human ears.

High tec installation
Created by Christ Watson, a sound recordist and musician who specialises in natural history, Whispering in the Leaves at Kew is the audio equivalent of 3D cinema, where visitors are in the privelidged position of being able to hear some creatures that have never even been seen before. Bringing to life an amazing soundscape of the natural world, visitors to Kew will be entranced by the hourly transmission of these weird and wonderful sounds.

Special events
As part of the project surrounding Whispering in the Leaves at Kew Gardens, you can also take part in several special events. For anyone keen on the wildlife of South and Central America or with an interest in creating your own soundscapes, there are several events, tours and performances to be seen or take part in until the end of the sound exhibition.

Guided tours take place at 11.30am on 3rd June, 1st July, 5th August, 2nd September 2010.

Talks by Chris Watson take place at 2.30pm on 18th July and 28th August, and workshops take place on 19th July, 10th August and 23rd August 2010.

Live audio performances and sound mixes by Chris Watson, featuring a tropical thunderstorm take place from 1pm on 29th May, 28th August and 29th August 2010.

For more information on Whispering in the Leaves at Kew, or to book tickets for any of the special events, click on the link below.

Kew Gardens Official Website

Other London events

Summer at Kew Gardens

Wild Kew Photo Exhibition

Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

The Deep at Natural History Museum

Urban Africa at Design Museum

Origin London Craft Fair

Sustainable Futures at Design Museum

Skin Exhibition at Wellcome Collection

Butterfly Explorers at Natural History Museum

River Thames Exhibition at Tower Bridge

Close Examination at National Gallery

South Africa Landscape at British Museum

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