With its unique frequency, the 52-hertz whale sings far outside the hearing range of other whales (15–20 Hz), which is why it has come to be known as “the loneliest whale in the world.” In a present marked by the outbreak of war and the persistent threat of nuclear escalation, systematically controlled violence increasingly shapes and destroys human lives. Twenty-One Kilohertz brings together personal material from my private archive with documentary recordings of violence and war from Iran.
The installation consists of five videos presented through video projectors, as well as a photo installation featuring family photos and excerpts from my first year of school books. Personal footage from my private archive—including recordings from my first year of school in 1997 and my uncle’s wedding in Iran—is juxtaposed with images of political violence. Through this constellation, the work reflects on longing, trauma, memory and powerlessness, and examines how continuous exposure to mediated conflict, news saturation, and digital blackout permeates everyday life in exile.