The article, ”Perceiving Voices in Contemporary Art: An Auditory Exploration of Image, Sculpture, and Architecture”, by Merrilee Wolsey published in August 2008, is an investigation into recent developments of sound in contemporary art, surrounding image, sculpture, and architecture. This is an attempt to further understand the interpretation of contemporary art through sound, parallel to the incorporation of sound in contemporary art as well.

The article introduces the role of sound from the invention of the phonograph in 1877, by Thomas Edison, leading into the emphasis on fidelity and the drive to improve the quality in capturing sound as close to the original source as possible; the collective focus in fidelity. Merilee Wolsey also introduces the question of the importance of listening to visual art to complete the perception of pieces. This may relate to the environment or internal composition.

Three works are examined in the article which exemplify how sound continues to be important through contemporary art practices. The first work is ‘La voie lactee’ by Genevieve Cardieux. It is a work in image, presented on a billboard installation. The second work is ‘Elixir'(2004) by Myrian Laplante which is a sculptural installation that examines body and space. Finally, Jane Cardiff’s video walk ‘Conspiracy Theory’ (2002) is an architectural examination. All works investigated in this article were chosen for how they address the idea of sound in the material world and the complex issues that arise in the process of examination. The role of voice is a central theme, as well as the role of the relationship between Michael Chion’s ideas towards sound and image.