Rare artist book. What is the shape of silence? How do we visualize and experience the invisible world of listening? In his acclaimed book A Square of Silence, multimedia artist Goran Vejvoda offers a poetic and conceptual exploration of the act of hearing, the spaces of sound, and the metaphors that connect our bodies, technologies, and environments. Building on decades of investigation into the boundaries of sound, silence, and perception, Vejvoda uses photography, conceptual writing, and visual metaphor to invite the reader into a unique sensory meditation. Central to the book is his iconic photographic series, where microphones replace ears, loudspeakers stand in for mouths, and everyday objects are reimagined as interfaces for sonic experience. These black-and-white images, often presented in carefully paired diptychs, highlight the ways in which we “capture” and “emit” sound—suggesting that our bodies, like microphones and speakers, are both receivers and transmitters in the endless dialogue between silence and noise.
A Square of Silence is not just a collection of images; it is a philosophical inquiry into the nature of listening. Vejvoda’s work resonates with the legacy of sound art pioneers such as John Cage and Alvin Lucier, yet is distinguished by its visual wit, poetic restraint, and accessibility. The book’s interplay of text and image emphasizes the universality of listening: sound is everywhere, and every listener is both an observer and a participant in the world’s ongoing acoustic performance. The project also explores the environments in which we encounter sound—record stores, concert halls, public spaces—reminding us that listening is a social, spatial, and cultural act. Vejvoda’s photographs, with their striking lines and contrasts, evoke both the intimacy of solitary listening and the collective immersion of live events. In doing so, he prompts us to reflect on the ways our brains, bodies, and technologies mediate the experience of sound.
A Square of Silence is essential reading for anyone interested in sound art, conceptual photography, and the poetics of everyday experience. With its elegant design and evocative imagery, this volume stands as a celebration of the act of listening—an invitation to pause, to notice, and to find meaning in the spaces between sound and silence.
About the Author:
Goran Vejvoda is an internationally recognized audio-visual artist whose work spans sound, photography, video, and installation. His projects have been exhibited and performed worldwide, exploring the intersections of technology, perception, and sensory experience in contemporary life.
