The Culture of Listening

Opening night event: October 21, 18:30-21:30 RSVP: https://slashobjects.typeform.com/to/ToovWak0

The Culture of Listening is an ongoing research project exploring the evolving relationship between sound and design. In a world saturated with images and content, we are witnessing a renewed desire for physicality, attention and curated experiences ; reflected in the resurgence of audiophile culture and new ways of listening.

Conceived by Slash Objects and PMM Studios, the project brings together design, music, research and publishing to examine how our listening rituals are changing. Each chapter begins with an object and a question, inviting designers, musicians, writers and makers into the conversation through original contributions, commissions and collective experiences.

CHAPTER I - THE NEW ARCHITECTURE OF SOUND

This first chapter, presented by Slash Objects during Art Basel Paris 2026, investigates what happens when we begin designing for listening again.

THE OBJECT - THE X DECK ANTHRACITE At the centre of Chapter I is the X Deck by Slash Objects, a collectible furniture piece conceived around sound, records and the ritual of listening. Rather than treating audio equipment as something to be hidden within an interior, the X Deck places music physically and visually at the centre of the space. DJ equipment is integrated into the architecture of the piece, while album artwork becomes a visual trace of the sounds being heard.

Positioned centrally within the exhibition, the X Deck is designed to be experienced from all sides, dissolving the conventional separation between DJ, object and audience. The Object becomes the starting point for a broader investigation into how design can shape the way we listen, gather and experience sound.