Operator, Operator, Operator

The installation shows the connection of the architectural pieces to each other and reflects on the communication of the Old Telephone Exchange. I wanted to show the audience how the building once was: a communication hub of Swansea with the women of the exchange connecting the residents of Swansea. By adding the sound installation I felt it brought the building alive.

The remarkable history of the building alone makes the installation interesting. How it still stands in the now conservation area of the Docks. In the Blitz of 1941 most of the area was bombed however the Old Telephone Exchange still stands proud against the modern 1950s architecture and the 1990s development. The Docks now holds the cafes, bars and restaurants mixed with the old buildings such as the Ice Factory and the J Shed.

This is the blurb I wrote for the leaflet:

Operator, Operator, Operator

Alexander Graham Bell launched the telephone era in 1876. By 1903 one of Britian's first telephone exchanges was opened by the Mayor of Swansea in Pier Street. The grand foyer at the Telephone Exchange holds the original stone carved figures. This architectural installation is simply the connection to the buildings history and to the residents of Swansea.