Ear Expansion with Maria Luiza de Barros

This conversation between LaMont Hamilton and Maria Luiza de Barros on Ear Expansion delves deep into the intersections of sound, space, and Black diasporic practices in Maria’s work. Maria, sharing her journey from Brazil and her engagements with various sonic and spatial practices, emphasizes the significance of sound in understanding and interacting with urban environments and architecture from a perspective deeply rooted in Afro-diasporic traditions. The dialogue navigates through Maria's academic pursuits, her personal history with sound, and the development of her platform, vi.bra.tions, as a space for exploring critical perspectives on city planning, architecture, and sound. The discussion also touches upon partying (festa) as a form of resistance and expression of Black joy and resilience, underpinning the theoretical and practical dimensions of Maria's work. LaMont and Maria explore the layered relationship of sound to personal memory, collective identity, spatial politics, and the potential for future engagements, emphasizing the integral role of sonic experiences in shaping our understanding of space and community.