Developed by composer and sociologist James Hazel during a three-month residency at the Citรฉ internationale des arts in Winter 2023, Atmosphรจre commune (Commoning Atmospheres) investigates the (counter)economies of ventilation shafts, originally installed as part of the Metro system in the early 20th century, when gentrifying social engineers sought to โbreathe fresh airโ into the city, displacing working-class communities in turn. Beyond their โpracticalโ function, these sites also operate as more-than-weather systems of atmospheric 'commoning' for precarious communities and individuals in Parisian urban spaces during the extreme forces of Winter.
Drawing upon the composerโs method of working-class-informed 'extended transcription,' ephemeral testimonies from interlocutors, rhythmanalysis, and sonic ethnography, the work also seeks to raise questions about the role of neoliberal governmentality, and social welfare in the stratified urban landscape, as well as the ethics of the โcreative-class artist' within the broader context of the gentrification. Particularly in light of the climate of โurban renewalโ taking place for the 2024 Paris Olympics.