Transcriptions: Soft Tumble Wash & Dry Orchestra

Transcriptions is a group exhibition showcasing new work by participants of the Wunder Gym mentoring program as part of Melbourne Fringe Festival. Over eight weeks, emerging creatives worked closely with acclaimed artist James Nguyen to explore how personal truths, and collective histories intersect through the act of storytelling.

In this one-off community event, the everyday sounds of washing machines and dryers are transformed into the central score a living “soft tumble wash and dry orchestra.” At the signal from Nguyen, artists will load soft, meaningful objects into the machines, synchronously starting a 45-minute cycle of rhythmic churns, rumbles, and whirs. From a central podium, select artists will weave spoken word, poetry, and stories into the mechanical chorus, creating an audible archive of shared memory.

Referencing Nguyen's practice and the Wunder Gym theme Transcriptions, the work collapses the boundaries between domestic labour and creative practice. Everyday sound becomes music; personal histories are softened and passed on, like fabrics in the wash.

Bring your listening ears and experience laundry in a whole new spin.

This year’s program reaches further than ever, culminating in a multi-site public exhibition across Wyndham City and Hobsons Bay.

Further information: https://events.humanitix.com/transcriptions