John Wynne’s Anspayaxw (2009) is a sound and photographic installation for twelve channels of audio diffusion, based on his participation in a research project with speakers of the endangered Aboriginal language, Gitxsanimaax, in the Skeena River area of British Columbia. There he worked in collaboration with Gitxsan community members at Kispiox, linguist Tyler Peterson, and artist/photographer Denise Hawrysio. The installation—which Wynne will also present to the Gitxsan community at ’Ksan—explores the borders between language and abstract sound, and between artistic autonomy and social responsibility, addressing critical issues around contemporary art and the power relations implicit in such cross-cultural translations.

Wynne is a Canadian artist with a PhD in Sound Art from Goldsmiths
College who lives and works in London, England. His work includes
Transplant with photographer Tim Wainwright (London), Hearing Voices
with Denise Hawrysio (Botswana, Namibia, London), Wireframe
(Vancouver), and an untitled installation for 300 recycled speakers,
player piano and vacuum cleaner (London).