Constantly Evolving But Never Ending

Constantly Evolving But Never Ending is the exhibition, symposium and performance event for MA Sound Arts at The London College of Communication featuring some of the work I've been developing in my practice as part of the course. My piece will be a performance on the final evening.

2nd-7th December 2014
Angus Hughes Gallery
26 Lower Clapton Road
London E5 OPD

Opening: Monday 1st December 7-9pm
Symposium: Sunday 7 December 2pm
Performances: Sunday 7 December 7pm

Facebook event


From the program notes:

GARY FISHER

Approaching The Object (solo improvisation with objects), 2014

Fisher’s performance will be a solo improvisation reflecting aspects of the ongoing development of a personal playing practice based around sounding particular objects in an improvised way. It will present a series of examples of ways in which the artist approaches the objects to create sounds and focus on the relationship between the artist’s own idiosyncratic approaches and the object as a material with potential to make sound.

It is only through some kind of interaction that these particular sounds can happen. Are these sounds unique to the person causing them? Why these objects and approaches? What are the risks of improvising alone? Is there a relationship between the object and the artist? How will this work in the context of a performance? In the context of his overall practice which usually involves improvised performances incorporating combinations of different media and technologies this would be considered a relatively minimal and restrained approach.

Approaching The Object: typed notes from recording sessions

Typed notes from two recording sessions for the objects and sounds project, now provisionally titled Approaching The Object. Each note relates to a digital sound file and simply explains what combinations of objects and microphones are used on that recording. They make nice text pieces, too. These are JPEGs from the original A4 size text files.

The notes in the first page were made during the recording session. Some notes on the second page were made after the session while listening to the recordings. There are recordings for the 'Drum 8' and 'Drum 9' entries but no notes were made at the time.

Project notes: Approaching The Object

Some typed notes for a project on making sounds with objects.

"The initial idea was that I would do something that is a part of my current practice and would help me understand more about my own fascination with making sounds with objects and find some cultural context for that as part of an artistic practice. I would take the thing that I feel is at the centre of what I do as an artist -making sounds with objects- and strip away everything else to examine it close-up. It would be a relatively simple and pragmatic exercise. Of course when we examine something close-up a world of complexities and detail within the thing itself become apparent… and more possibilities."

The notes are from the early stages of the final project for my MA in Sound Art. This is a development of the Object/Action/Sound idea in a previous post and show the kind of things I'm thinking about or doing with this project. The 'Further Thinking' part shows how within the apparently scientific and pragmatic original idea is a far more complex and philosophical web of themes, questions and directions.

The image is taken directly from an A4 word file.

"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.