A pesar de la gran cantidad de información sobre los efectos del ruido en la salud, la concentración, el rendimiento, el comportamiento, la comunicación y el sueño; en los entornos urbanos la contaminación acústica sigue aumentando principalmente debido al tráfico y la invasión masiva del automóvil privado.

Podemos cerrar los ojos o mirar hacia otro lado, pero no podemos cerrar los ojos ante los sonidos no deseados. A diario, los seres están rodeados de sonidos que los afectan sin darse cuenta. El ruido se percibe subconscientemente como una señal de peligro [2] y el cuerpo humano reacciona con los consiguientes cambios nerviosos, hormonales y vasculares. [1-11]

Elegí varios lugares especialmente ruidosos en Neukölln, Berlín, donde instalé auriculares de protección contra el ruido que ofrecían un «instante de silencio» pero, sobre todo, cuestionaban el paisaje sonoro urbano impuesto llamando a la toma de conciencia.

Una pieza audiovisual con las imágnenes y grabaciones de campo de las localizaciones fue
mostrada en My dog is an artist and tonight is full moon terror 2015, Brunnen7, Berlín.

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Despite the large amount of information on the effects of noise on health, concentration, performance, behavior, communication and sleep; in urban environments noise pollution continues to increase mainly due to traffic and the massive invasion of the private car.

We can close our eyes or look away, but we cannot close our eyes to unwanted sounds. Every day, beings are surrounded by sounds that affect them without realizing it. Noise is perceived subconsciously as a danger signal [2] and the human body reacts with the consequent nervous, hormonal and vascular changes. [1-11]

I chose several particularly noisy places in Neukölln, Berlin, where I installed noise-protection headphones that offered a «moment of silence» but, above all, challenged the imposed urban soundscape by calling for awareness.

An audiovisual piece with the images and field recordings of the locations was shown at My dog is an artist and tonight is full moon terror 2015, Brunnen7, Berlin.

REFERENCIAS

1. Berglund B, Lindvall T. (Eds.) Community Noise. Archives of the Center for Sensory Research. 1995; 2: 1-195. This document is an updated version of the document published by the World Health Organization in 1995.

2. Babisch W. Noise and Health. Environ Health Perspect 2005; 113: A14-15.

3. Suter AH. Noise and its Effects. Administrative Conference of the United States, 1991.

4. Lee CSY, Fleming GG. General Health Effects of Transportation Noise. U.S. Department of Transportation. Washington , DC. 2002.

5. Committee on Environmental Health, American Academy of Pediatrics Handbook of Pediatric Environmental Health. Noise. Washington, DC, American Academy of Pediatrics, 2003.

6. Ising H, Kruppa B. Health effects caused by noise: evidence from the literature from the past 25 years. Noise Health 2004; 6: 5-13.

7. Shapiro SA. The Dormant Noise Control Act and Options to Abate Noise Pollution. Administrative Conference of the United States, 1991.

8. Stansfeld S, Haines M, Brown B. Noise and Health in the Urban Environment. Rev Environ Health 2000; 15: 43-82.

9. Passchier-Vermeer W, Passchier WF. Noise exposure and public health. Environ Health Perspect 2000; 108 (Suppl. 1): 123-131.

10. Stansfeld SA, Matheson MP. Noise pollution: non-auditory effects on health. Brit Med Bull 2003; 68: 243-257.

11. Evans GW, Lepore SJ. Non-auditory effects of noise on children; a critical review. Children’s Environments 1993; 10: 42-72.