Overview

Automobile is a performance derived from car stereo subcultures, found in urban settings across the world, where young men flaunt their customised sound systems. Artist Joe Namy collaborates with the car owners to create a huge sonic network by connecting the sound systems of the automobiles. The owners start their engines and speakers simultaneously, playing synchronised music and field recordings collected and composed by Namy.

Automobile has been reconstructed within the local cultural context of various cities, including Beirut, Abu Dhabi, Gwangju, London and Toronto. Automobile 9, the Sharjah iteration, takes place in the heart of the city behind Al Rolla Square Park. The performance pushes the sound systems of the cars to their limits, akin to the way they are often used to blare music during gatherings in the desert.