Laurie Anderson | Hearring

Laurie Anderson

Hearring

Zurich, Switzerland: Parkett Editions, 1997

10.2 x 4.5 x 2 cm.

Edition of 150 signed and numbered copies

Over thirty-three years, Parkett Editions produced several wearable works, including gloves by Meret Oppenheim and Roman Signer, eyeglasses by Rirkrit Tiravanija, a tie by Sophie Calle, a shirt by Luc Tuymans, a ring by Jenny Holzer, and this earring by Laurie Anderson. 

Produced for Parkett issue #49 (which featured Anderson, Jeff Wall and Douglas Gordon), the piece consists of a brass, copper, circuit board, loudspeaker, lithium battery, Plexiglas and wires. It features a playable sound message of approximately twenty seconds.

Anderson stated that the work "sings into your ear and also yells various instructions". These include phrases like “Hey You! I’m right behind you!” and "Hello! It’s me. I’m right behind you”. 

The jewelry is by Josiah Dearborn, and the 'engineering design' is by Bob Bielecki, who previously collaborated with Anderson on works such as her signature magnetic tape violin.

Yesterday Anderson was named the 2026 Kyoto Prize laureate in Arts and Philosophy, alongside chemist Tsutomu Miyasaka, in Advanced Technology, and marine microbiologist Farooq Azam, in Basic Sciences. The Kyoto Prize is Japan’s highest private award for global achievement. The prizes will be awarded in a ceremony on November 10th.

She released the following statement:

“I would like to express my gratitude to those who decided to give me the great honor of receiving the 2026 Kyoto Prize,” Anderson says. “I’m very aware of the magnitude of this prize and of the long line of people before me who have received this great honor. So I accept in the spirit of deepest humility. Like many artists, I’ve spent my life making work that I hoped would be understood and, above all, useful to others. But to have this dream of being understood acknowledged is a very emotional experience for me. And it also gives me an enormous amount of joy. I am also grateful to the many teachers who have shown me ways to live, love and make art.”