Blog

LISTENING            RESONANCE            OBJECT/SITE                PERFORMANCE        VOICE           COLLABORATION               FEEDBACK              HIERARCHY          ALIGNMENT              MIRRORING              IMPROVISATION               INTERACTION

As an extension of my recent work with SLABS I will spend this year researching listening, resonance of object/site and performance. I am interested in the point of interaction between the performer and the object, and the dynamic sort of listening that enables a space for collaboration. With SLABS, the voice of the performer merges with that of the object and together their combined voices form a new sounding entity. This transformation fascinates me and it’s the part of the work I enjoy the most. Particularly when working within the feedback performers use mimicry to explore the resonance and sound of the sculpture. They perform the other and in doing so discover a sense of being ‘other’, expanding their vocabulary and experience of making sound. I think this is really exciting especially when it comes to working with inanimate objects or sites (within an environment).

The space of listening in this way is often very intimate but how can I translate that experience in a public display? Whether it’s a performance with my sculptures, a static installation with sound or an interactive piece, I want to create the sensation or the reality of this live dynamic space of collaboration/improvisation. It’s a similar space to the way kids react to a change of acoustic space by throwing their voice into the surrounding space, searching for feedback, echo and distortion. This is the sort of interaction I want to create except sustained and expanded through more complex collaborative ‘dialogues’. Over the coming months I will continue to archive my recordings and interactions with sonic objects, exploring the world of foley, mirroring, and the interaction of human sounds and inanimate objects. Alongside the growing archive, I am going to test out a variety of presentation formats, exploring how to create an exhibition or encounter where you can experience this dynamic space of collaboration through listening.

Around the practical testing out of techniques and formats I am also keen to deepen my understanding of the subject of Listening, Collaboration and Performance through studying texts, discussions with my tutors and peers, and documenting my experiences.

This blog will be a space where I share all of it, from notes and sound pieces to reflections and ideas.