Question: How can every resident and visitor in a municipality become an active listener? Answer: by creating a sound map that lets each person experience their own sensations through the sounds around them. This idea, conceived by Alicante-based sound artist and composer Carlos Izquierdo, returns to the field of sound with a new project called Merge s.IVAM aims to extend art to the Route 99 towns in the Community of Valencia, places with fewer than 100 inhabitants, inviting the public to hear the landscape in novel ways.
If it worked in 2021 Ayodar’s Resources, it is now being explored in Higueras, a municipality in Castellón, which boasts abundant natural resources in the Sierra de Espadan Natural Park. Izquierdo explains that if a visual sight can be meaningful to the eye, imagine what the ear can perceive. The project links region, identity and memory, inviting people to listen for themselves and compare sound to memory.
IVAM approached Izquierdo to develop an artistic proposal for the municipality. He met with the mayor and carried out a week-long residency in February, living among Higueras’ streets and landscapes to understand the place. Through observation of culture, customs, uses, locations, environment and social dynamics, he shaped the project. From that immersion, a clear concept emerged for development.
During that week, countless recordings were made at various listening points, some lasting minutes, others hours. The process centered on moving through spaces, listening carefully, placing microphones, and waiting—a complete workflow that reveals the patience behind listening as a practice.
Sound Museum of the City of Alicante — Digital Sound Walk
At this stage the municipality already possessed audio captures from a moment that was unique and specific. Izquierdo notes that the value of his recordings lies less in absolute importance and more in the invitation to listen. The knack is letting people discover their own listening experiences.
Two actions
The project unfolds in two main actions. First, a guided walk with listening points invites participants to explore and experiment, complemented by a brochure that guides residents and visitors to the exact spots where the artist saved the recordings. Second, a physical element exists: an auditory trumpet designed to assist people with hearing loss. This object is both symbolic and functional, created to encourage closer engagement, contemplation, and a renewed effort to listen more attentively.
Brochures with QR codes are available at the town bar, La Cantina del Rullo, granting access to the sound archive compiled by Izquierdo. The trumpet stands near the Plaza de la Iglesia, serving as a tangible reminder of the project.
In May, a presentation of the project for neighbors will reveal how a quiet municipality with established rhythms can absorb an artistic intervention. The aim is not to be disruptive but to offer something that communities value and keep.
IVAM collects all completed projects on its website through a mediation and training program, ensuring that the work continues to be visited and actively engaged with.
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