Having hosted work from artists including Yoko Ono and Anish Kapoor, Gateshead’s Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art (Baltic) has again worked with integrator ArtAV to showcase a new exhibition by British artist Hannah Perry. Using Genelec’s renowned 8330 studio loudspeakers, Perry’s work delves into themes of labour, motherhood, and class in an experience that is as auditory as it is visual.
A long-standing collaborator with Baltic, ArtAV specialises in integrating audiovisual components into artistic presentations. ‘Our focus is always to provide high-quality equipment that matches the vision of galleries and artists alike,’ says ArtAV Project Manager, Simon Weightman. ‘For this exhibition, we coordinated with the Baltic team and Hannah Perry herself to deliver precisely what she envisioned.’
Weightman explains that Perry’s exhibition, housed in Baltic’s Level 4 Gallery, called for sound that was both powerful and visually subtle. ‘Artists want the technology to serve their art without drawing attention away from it. Genelec loudspeakers are perfect – they look elegant, and can fill the gallery without dominating it. Their design allows for clarity in complex soundscapes, whether it’s ambient noise or music, both of which were central to this exhibition.’
Perry’s Baltic debut, Manual Labour, brings her exploration of motherhood to life in a layered, immersive experience. Known for examining class and gender through her work, Perry’s installation combines sound, sculpture, and film, to probe the physical and emotional weight of labour. Her mechanical sculpture, choreographed to evoke the strain and rhythm of manual work, is paired with a moving film that explores the personal and collective dimensions of motherhood. Through textures, reflective imagery, spoken word, and sound, the piece invites viewers into a contemplative journey.
At the heart of the exhibition’s sound is a 12.1 Genelec loudspeaker installation, comprising 12 8330 loudspeakers and a 7070 subwoofer. Each contributes a unique element to the soundscape – from deep rumbles to ringing chimes and piano music – supported by Ambisonic audio. Genelec’s GLM loudspeaker management software intelligently fine-tunes the frequency response, playback level and distance delay of each loudspeaker to compensate for the gallery’s acoustics, delivering the highest possible levels of clarity and intelligibility, wherever the listener is located.
‘Genelec loudspeakers are a natural fit for exhibitions since artists are already familiar with them from their studio work,’ says Kyle Partridge, ArtAV’s technician who played an active role in the project. ‘Their compact design and excellent performance filled the space beautifully, and the GLM software enabled us to calibrate each speaker quickly – a major advantage for installations. We were on a tight schedule as Hannah wanted to make last-minute adjustments to the audio files. Having tools like GLM is invaluable, as it gives artists the flexibility to refine their work right up to the finish line.’
Baltic’s collaboration with ArtAV and Genelec has resulted in an exhibition that’s not only visually captivating but deeply resonant in its soundscape.
‘At ArtAV, we take great pride in every project, whether it’s a straightforward rental or a comprehensive installation,’ Weightman concludes. ‘From initial design to opening night and beyond, we approach each exhibition with the same dedication. Genelec is a partner that shares our commitment to top-quality technology – their loudspeakers are durable and consistently meet our clients’ needs. By choosing Genelec for Manual Labour, we enabled Hannah to craft an immersive, multi-sensory experience that truly reflects the emotional intensity of labour.’
More: www.genelec.com
