– RESEARCH PROJECT AND CREATIVE WORK –

26/04/2024

For the Element 1 section of my submission for Contemporary Issues in Sound Art, I am exploring the relationship between sound and sculpture and how our perception of material is influenced and shaped through sound. Specifically focusing on the role sound plays in creating a sense of space and emotion alongside sculpture, I will examine and analyze this field through the lenses of both acoustic ecology and film sound studies.

To practice within these developed ideas and exemplify the phenomena around the depth sound illustrates that I am producing a creative work alongside this research for the element 2 submission. The creative work will be a sculpture with a soundtrack, acting as both a physical and sonic representation of the depth that surrounds texture in material and texture in sound produced when married together. The premise for the sculpture is to highlight the beauty in simple materials when conveyed through complex textural patterns used in modern architecture. The materials used will be mundane and accessible, however, the score of the work will act as paint to convey an environment that engulfs the sculpture.

30/04/2024

In my final brief for my element 1 submission I have focused my research onto analyzing the specific role of sound in the sculptural and sonic works of artists Zimoun, Susan Phillips, and Robert Morris. My research and perspectives utilize ideas from acoustic ecology and film sound studies, as well as through the persepctives of composers such as Pierre Schaeffer who highlight acousmatic sound in their practice.

The essay is an interdisciplinary examination of how orchestrated and natural sound impact our perception of environment, whether imagined or physical. My wiritng is also focusing on the concept of perceptual fidelity introduced by James Lastra and how the approach of orchestrating sound directly amplifies the presence of an audience in an environment.

For the creative work, I am using sound as a physical medium and composing a piece that is reflective on the role sound plays in my own life. Specifically in how I use sound to convey feeling and sculpt environments around the realm of my psyche. The work was originally intended to also have a sculptural element, however, in using the title ‘Sonic Talisman’ I feel that it is necessary to convey the physicality of sound in isolation rather than placed alongside another medium.