LAWRENCE ABU HAMDAN – Canicula by Fondazione In Between Art Film

We are happy to announce the participation of Lawrence Abu Hamdan in CANICULA, the third and final chapter of the “Trilogy of Uncertainties,” presented by Fondazione In Between Art Film at the Complesso dell’Ospedaletto in Venice, on the occasion of La Biennale di Venezia.

Curated by Alessandro Rabottini and Leonardo Bigazzi, the exhibition opens on May 6, 2026, bringing together newly commissioned video installations by a group of international artists. Abu Hamdan’s contribution continues his long-standing investigation into sound as a political and forensic medium, operating at the intersection of law, technology, and human right The work stems from the recent student movement in Serbia, where “silent vigils” emerged as a form of collective resistance against government corruption. During one such gathering in Belgrade in March 2025, attended by hundreds of thousands, the crowd abruptly dispersed in response to an unseen force. In the aftermath, Earshot — founded by the artist — was contacted by witnesses seeking to understand what had occurred. Through extensive research and earwitness testimonies, the investigation reconstructed what was described as a “fugitive sound,” undetectable to recording devices yet consistently reported by those present. The findings point toward the use of a sonic weapon, the LRAD 450XL, marking one of the first documented instances of its deployment against a civilian population. Conceived as a multi-channel video installation, the work unfolds across fifteen screens, where silent, text-based testimonies alternate with footage of the vigil. The only direct sound is a brief reconstruction of the weapon, while the rest of the piece is composed as a score. Drawing on the language of silent cinema, the work reclaims silence not as absence, but as a space of resistance—foregrounding the collective voice of those subjected to its disruption.

Through this project, Abu Hamdan reflects on the weaponization of sound and the fragility of collective assembly, while reaffirming silence as both a political tool and a shared, emancipatory gesture. Don’t miss this if you are in Venice during the Biennial!

Photo : Lawrence Abu Hamdan, The Story of a Fugitive Sound, 2026. Installation view in Canicula, Fondazione In Between Art Film, Complesso dell’Ospedaletto, Venice, 2026. Courtesy of the artist and Fondazione In Between Art Film
© Marco Cappelletti Studio.