An experimental program of interconnected performances exploring linguistic re-coding, tricks of the mouth, verbalism, chatter, translation, transposition, impersonation, and noise. Drawing from Liquid Architecture’s ongoing investigations into the dynamics of ventriloquism, polyphony and other multiplicities of sound and listening, Tricks of the Mouth brings together artists, poets, and musicians in the staging of a collective escape from signification (perhaps to return apologetically at a later date).

Yogyakarta-based punk coder, designer and horror-aficionado NATASHA TONTEY presenting new work Church of Xenoglossia. First developed as part of Instrument Builders Project Kyoto, the project employs early-internet proto-emoji language Shift JIS in scores for improvisation. Legendary Japanese musician Phew, whose warped vocal exclamations over pulsating electronics have been described as ‘Yoko Ono meets Suicide’, will perform for the first time in Australia. Chinese Singaporean artist Zou Zhao will playfully dismantle proceedings through discursive intervention, while Sage Pbbbt will explore the overtones produced as air travels from her lungs, past her vocal folds, and out of her lips into the room. Alexandra Spence presents a new text-sound meditation on her experiences navigating the city and reimagining the intricate relationships between the listener, the object, and the surrounding environment as a kind of communion or conversation.