EMMA GRIFFITHS
AKA EMMA CAN SEE MONSTERS
I AM ECSTATIC RIGHT NOW
Photograph courtesy of the artist, taken during Lumiere Durham 2023
This artwork started from a few scribbled diagrams breaking down the many words Emma can mishear from one word, forming sentences she had misheard pairing them next to what was actual said.
Being surrounded by hearing people and hearing culture made her find ways to explain what it's like to be hard of hearing, mostly to gain an understanding and patience from others.
Emma didn't find much success in trying to explain verbally, however, it is not easy to explain what it's like to hear as every individual's experience with hearing is different and difficult to compare.
Photograph courtesy of André Russcher, taken during I LIGHT U 2025 festival, Utrecht
That led Emma to try what she trusted, art. Artichoke in collaboration with Lumiere were seeking a new commission for Lumiere Durham 2023. An artwork with light being the main medium was the perfect way to visually explain what hearing a typical conversation is like for her.
Emma turned what she heard into something visible, making one of her diagrams become a real experience for others.
Art is a form of language, art has been used to communicate what is difficult to put into words or what words alone can't express. Emma created "hearing diagrams" to show how complicated it can be to hear, especially speech.
Photograph courtesy of the artist, taken during Lumiere Durham 2023
"One word can sound like many, one sentence can sound like many. Whenever I listen to a verbal conversation my brain fills in the blanks in real-time. I look for context to help me understand like looking at my surroundings, the person I am talking to - do I know them? What are we likely to be talking about?
My brain has to predict words and go through the possibilities of what could've actually been said, all in real-time whilst that person is talking to me.
I am someone who is deaf and can hear, I hope this brings light to the fact that hearing isn't the same as understanding, an experience that deaf people are familiar with but often hearing people aren't understanding of."
Photograph courtesy of André Russcher, taken during I LIGHT U 2025 festival, Utrecht
Emma made mishearing into misreading to allow hearing people to feel the confusion and frustration of not being able to understand. A big part of her work was also to give deaf/hard of hearing people a space to feel understood, a sense of familiarity, and empathy of a daily experience that is not easy.
The audience of Emma's work plays the part of her brain. By looking through the layers of letters, and discovering different words, you're trying to figure out what was actually said. The sentence that was actually said is always existing behind the blurring possibilities.
"I think some people viewed my work and felt confused as they couldn't understand any of it. But I am actually happy with that being an outcome. Sometimes I have no idea what someone said to me, and I have to go on with my day accepting that."
Photograph courtesy of the artist, taken during Lumiere Durham 2023
Since Lumiere Durham 2023, I AM ECSTATIC RIGHT NOW has continued to tour in other light festivals including I LIGHT U 2025 in Utrecht, Netherlands. Find out more the artwork's supporters and light festivals below.
