In addition to discussion of sonic politics, this blog will include short audio sculptures that investigate the interaction between space and sound. This is a project that’s been in the conceptual stages for a while.
The idea is 1) to render an image of a space in the shortest time possible (always under four minutes, and usually under two); 2) to try to capture that space in an active moment so as to render its image robustly; and 3) to select politically compelling or aesthetically charged moments.
My only real background in art is as an amateur photographer who was lucky enough to be able to take multiple classes over the course of three years at a photography school where I was doing fundraising work. I read a lot and thought a lot about approaches to photography during those years, and what I picked up has informed my ideas about audio sculptures. I try to record the same event multiple times from different angles, and to think about framing.
Sound, of course, is very different from imagery. A recording (usually) has a definite length, and (usually) suggests a linear apprehension. Viewers are used to approaching visual media in a less linear, more deliberately subjective fashion. People don’t usually attend to photographs for more than a couple of minutes, and this threshold of interest likely holds for sound as well. I think it might be brazen to expect someone to listen to 11 minutes of a recording, unless they’ve really come to trust you, or unless there’s a rock-solid narrative, or unless it’s music they like. So I’m starting, at least, with shorter segments. Listen to them like you would look at a snapshot – expect funny juxtapositions, emphatic arrays of forms, minor narratives, and surreal scenes.
Artwork #1 was recorded inside a student art gallery in Madison, Wisconsin. For the first minute, I walked around with the door closed. You can hear voices. Then I opened the door and joined the group outside.
I really like what you are doing with these Artworks. The idea of creating small snippets of soundscapes which are to be taken in as one would a photograph is a refreshing use of audio-for-art. By that I mean, most artnoise that I have encountered is either linked to larger installations that depend on being present in a gallery space and often try to affect some sort of ambiance. Other forms of artnoise are sometimes too long and mish-mashed and cut and edited together…which often dilutes the aesthetic quality of the recordings…However, this short clip attempts none of these things. It is simple and honest and short enough to enjoy without getting annoying. Also it shows so much on its own. Bravo. I would however suggest finding a different word for these pieces other than "sculptures" as sculptures are things which are built or carved or cast…whereas this piece is merely captured.
Keep them coming.
Hi Anthony,
Thanks for your kind words! The reason I like the word "sculpture" is exactly because it suggests that the clips are selected and molded, instead of being neutral or found objects. This is how I think about photographs, too, or at least how I came to think about them after shooting actively for a few years. You choose your camera and figure out where to stand and adjust the framing til it works for you. Plus you make decisions about processing and contrast in the development stages. In other words, there are lots of ways that you "sculpt" the final result.
This is also true for sound. But I'm also adding some specific techniques, including making sounds myself to produce a better image of a space and walking around while I record, that take the sculpting angle even a little further.