Sarah Tracton

Project: Hearing it for silence – An investigation of the archives and manuscripts of Dr Pierre Gorman and deaf history in Victoria from the 1800s

Sarah's project used as a primary resource the extensive and unique collection of historical manuscripts and personal artefacts of Dr Pierre Gorman, the first profoundly deaf person to graduate with a doctorate from Cambridge University.

Moving from the historical to the present day, her research incorporated a visual representation of the mounting evidence around neural reorganisation following sensory loss and rehabilitation with a cochlear implant.

Sarah's project examined the changes in language and attitude around deafness, from the turn of the last century to the present day, combining ceramics, text, illustration and new media.

Sarah Tracton is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans 2D and 3D mediums. Her art practice investigates ways of visually portraying the metaphorical transition from silence towards a sound with a cochlear implant, an intersection between art and technology.

Sarah directed the groundbreaking, critically acclaimed short film White sound, in which she used her own hearing loss as a catalyst in portraying the texture of sound, reflecting on her sturdy auditory memory and strong musicality. Screening at over 80 festivals worldwide, the film won numerous awards, including the Pamela Walker Award for creative innovation at Superfest.