Curious Sounds
A Dialogue in Three Movements
Description
A collaborative, multi-faceted book by two extraordinary Black artists about finding beauty in the chaos
Roger Mooking is a Trinidadian-born, Canadian-raised talent who creates immersive experiences in the arts, and francesca ekwuyasi is a writer whose debut novel, Butter Honey Pig Bread, has received wide acclaim. These two artists come together in Curious Sounds, a book of art, stories, and conversations illuminating their search for solace and perspective.
A dialogue between two artists across various mediums, Curious Sounds uses Mooking's most recent album, SoundBites, as scaffolding for the artists' conversations on creativity, Blackness, family, grief, and more. Composed of ekwuyasi's essays reflecting on artmaking, storytelling, and creative expression and Mooking's multimedia visual art, micro stories, music, and lyrics, this book is a collage of ideas about making meaning through life's rhythms.
Arranged in three parts, which mirror the arc of a life - the Learning, the Living, and the Leaving - Curious Sounds is an interactive collection of fleeting moments and visuals that explore the beauty in chaos.
Reviews
It is refreshing to see work that encapsulates a Black perspective without having to force Blackness to the centre of the work. Creative, experimental, innovative, and well thought out. -Kareem-Anthony Ferreira, visual artist
I love how my imagination is lit up when I read these stories. It's as though I have been beamed into a universe that is unscathed by the reality we are living in now. Imagination inspires nations. I am inspired. I am in spirit. -Jully Black, award-winning singer/songwriter, artist, and activist
This project symbolizes the journey of life over infectious melodies, poignant lyrics, and dope beats and shows how captivating Roger is as a storyteller. Really dope. -Maestro Fresh Wes, rap artist, actor, and author of Stick to Your Vision: How to Get Past the Hurdles & Haters to Get Where You Want to Be
The unorthodox structure is part of the appeal of Curious Sounds - there's a sense of a mind spilled onto the page, with sharp insights scattered throughout. The results are both odd and enchanting. -Publishers Weekly