“One of the most talented and innovative sound artists of our generation.” (Prof Lizbeth Goodman).

Artist Statement
CV

Joseph Young (born UK, 1960) lives and works between Britain, Ireland and Germany. With a background in theatre, working as an actor and award-winning composer for over 20 years, Joseph is a visual artist and researcher working in sculptural sound, installation and performance.

He was awarded an Irish Research Council scholarship for a recent practice-based PhD at SMARTlab UCD, Killruddery: Listening to the Archive (2019-2023). In April 2024, his hauntological soundtrail, The Ancestors, was officially opened to the public accompanied by the publication Mapping the Ancestors, commissioned by Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray. A sister, limited-edition vinyl album Sonic Hauntings in a Big House was released later that year by Farpoint Recordings, supported by The Arts Council, An Chomhairle Ealaíon.

He is currently engaged in a postdoctoral artistic research fellowship at SMARTlab UCD, The Big House Made of Sound, investigating the archives of Annes Grove in County Cork, Ireland through immersive sound practice, supported by Research Ireland and the Office of Public Works (OPW).

Exhibitions include: Sounding Peace, Aldershot Military Museum (2025); Edges, Wexford Arts Centre, Ireland & Watts Gallery, UK (2024); Immersion, Soft Machine Gallery, USA (2023); The Destruction of Language (after Le Madame), Venice Architecture Biennale (2023); Make Futurism Great Again, Estorick Collection, UK (2018); Handmade/Automation, British Ceramics Biennial (2017); The Missing Paintings, Towner Art Gallery, UK (2017); What is the Sound of Protest?, Errant Bodies, Berlin (2015); Growing Manual, Seoul Museum of Art (2014); Orchestra of Ringtones, Jerwood Gallery (2013); Listening Ears, Tate Britain, UK (2012).

Joseph was the founder of NeoFuturist Collective (2008-18) – an artist group inspired by the Milan Futurists, celebrating urban noise through the creation of site-specific performances, interventions and installations in car parks, villages, abandoned buildings, brutalist tower blocks and conventional gallery spaces, as well as on Wall St (USA) and at the Houses of Parliament (UK).

From 2011-18, he was an elected member of a-n’s Artist Council, representing artists and their professional interests at events, conferences and political meetings across the UK and Europe.

He is co-curator of The Ceramic House in Brighton with founder Kay Aplin, a project space exploring collaborative practice across the disciplines of sound art and ceramics.