4.7.14

Drawings for tape loop installation

Drawings for a site-specific tape loop installation at The London College of Communication.

Felt pen on A4 monochrome prints from digital photos showing ideas for a site-specific installation with a small reel-to reel tape recorder running a loop of tape along the length of a set of metal railings playing back a continuos loop of the sound of my hand running along the railings once from one end to the other. The action is performed and recorded once with the rest of the tape containing silence. The actual sound would not take up the same length of tape as the length of the railing though the tape moving along the full length of the railing and the visual association with the sound, it's source and the movement of the tape may create that impression.





3.7.14

"OBJECT / ACTION / SOUND" Proposal

Notes for project on making sounds with objects.


Today I made a proposal to my MA group for the final project of the course. The focus of the project is to look at what is at the core of my interests as an artist- making sounds with objects-  and make some detailed studies of particular objects while exploring their sound-making possibilities. This will be an attempt to get to the heart of what it is that I am trying to do with my work by stripping away all the many and various elements that go into and come out of the work and focus on the one that is most important to me. I am working towards a series of performances with objects and instruments that are about exploring the 'basic' idea of performing actions with objects with the intention of creating sounds. Of course this idea is not so basic as by giving myself restrictions and boundaries to work within and taking a hyper-focussed approach highlights the potential complexity and possibilities of going from the general to the specific. Also there are many questions raised about the focus on myself as the  artist and performer and why this work must result in a live performance. I feel this project is a very personal one as it is important that I am bringing my own approach, idiosyncrasies, measure and sensitivity to the objects and the fact that it is a performance allows this to be seen and heard first hand. The audience will see the artist making decisions, deciding how, when and when not to act and hear the resulting sound. One thing I want to avoid is the focus on the artist as the 'master of ceremonies' the magician who is performing mystical acts. I want no illusions. One challenge is how to make the work interesting and engaging if it is apparently so simple in concept and execution without it becoming self -indulgent noodling or a dry demonstration exercise.