A social distancing sign in Prospect Park reminds park-goers to remain at last six feet apart. (Diane Bezucha)

Tethered

The sounds of social distance 

By Diane Bezucha

In response to the coronavirus outbreak, people across the globe have been confined to their homes for nearly three months. Separated by walls, distance and internet connection, we have been forced to adapt to new ways of working, learning and living. In the absence of physical touch, how do we find ways to remain connected? With our lives tethered to our homes, how do we stretch and grow? And what does it sound like as we navigate this new reality?

With crowdsourced recordings captured between March 16 and April 25 by people across the United States, this piece shares just some of the sounds of social distance, as we all adjust to being apart, together.

Thank you to everyone who contributed recordings to this project: Gina Smith-Hughes, Ashley Peterson-Novack and Ryan Novack, Nicole Soulier, Christina Mitchell, Nicole Ramos, Cecilia Golombek, Nicole Brown, Kellie Tice, Tori Gross, Miriam Leuchter, Gary Lo, Alison Goetsch, Laura Myers, Carly Mulliken

With additional participation from: Gary Bezucha, Jaclyn Lovell, Kate Selden, Ron Retamales and Alex Teitel