Shouting Machine, since 2016

Street vendors in the Chinese city of Guiyang use small megaphones to advertise their produce.  These cheaply produced ‘Shouting Machines’ (HanHuaQi)  can record a short message, which is then replayed in a continuous loop at considerable volume.  Shouting Machines  come in a wide variety of shapes and colours, and the recorded advertising slogans are often consciously crafted, employing Rhythm, Repetition, Alliteration and Rhyme to make them more effective.

A rich field of associations opens up: Political indoctrination, crowd control, cheap plastic made in China, entrepreneurship and burgeoning individualism, vernacular creativity. 

 The presentation of this work can be adapted to the exhibition space, and the series is continually being expanded.