What is Sound Art? – 05.10.21
Today we were asked to break down and form an Ontology of Sound Art. Although this practice could take years (if not forever!) to find the answer, I believe I have found a happy medium in which I can continue my creative process towards the future. Basing back on the studies shown on Sam Auinger I continued the idea that ‘Sound Art’ was creating noise into something worth listening to; in order to evoke emotion or feeling. We touched upon the basis of positionality and how it is this which shapes not only the art you create but also the art you listen and connect to; e.g. your race, culture, heritage, age, gender, religion, etc… This for me was an interesting concept as it apposed the question of what actually is sound art subjective snd objectively. Some members of the class stated that it is sound that was “intentionally made”. However once again linking back to Sam Auinger’s work on urban planning he uses traffic noises, which I am sure drivers had no intention of making art. Others in the class also stated that music is not sound art. This I disagree with entirely! To me, my subjective point of view on sound art is that any sound ever can be made into art and who is to decipher whether it fits into the category of “sound art” or “sound”. A common example used was a bird singing or other animals creating animal noises. To one that may just be sound whereas to others that can be sound art, or in some senses music! Although I agree music follows more traditional concepts such as musicality, rhythm, and melody; an array of organised sound. However, this does not mean it can not be sound art. This phrase overlaps into so many genres and I don’t believe there is one set answer. When recently watching a documentary on the making of ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ – The Beatles, it was described that during the bridge of ‘A Day In The Life’ the orchestra was told to play any random notes so long as they didn’t correspond to the person sat next to them. This reflects the idea that although it is widely known as music it is not organised and could be used as an idea or concept as sound art. This piece for me uses sound to create and evoke so much emotion and feeling which is what I believe sound art does. So can I not call it sound art yet? It uses sound as the medium to tackle someone’s feelings based on their positionality and contextual background. Similarly, Sound Art for the screen is a commonly used practice, however, does this give composers such as Hans Zimmer the right to be called a “Sound Artist” or do they just create organise music. Although one should be known as what one wants it to be known as – to me there is no differentially between the two. Sound Art is the tree and their style or genres are the branches and the leaves. I look to approach and use this theory within my future work and hope to develop a sound that creates feeling and touches someone based on the context and subjectiveness of the piece. I don’t believe in restricting any sound from the subject as “Sound Art” and hope to continue this in the most unique and creative way I possibly can. Any sound can be sound art it’s just whether or not it suits your positionality.
“Sound Art is an art that can be heard”- Tate