Soundscapes

For Activating the Mundane, I've been researching some sound installations as precedents for a sound piece I'm working on for May.  Some of these examples are particularly interesting in the way that they amplify or morph existing sounds that are typically not perceived or noticed in the surrounding natural environment.  These pieces are located in the NOAA Art Walk park in Seattle and each incorporate a reused material from a repurposed naval base.

Canadian artist George Trakas' "Berth Haven" amplifies the sound of the lake, through the echoing of moving steel under a hollow cedar deck.  The series of decks rest on existing foundations leftover from an old airstrip on the naval base.

Douglas Hollis' "A Sound Garden" seems somewhat typical as a wind chime, but is more than visual effects as each metal tube funnels and changes the pitch of the wind blowing through, depending on the direction and velocity.

This video captures some of the mournful sounds of the sculptures - until the end of the clip, where that mood is broken.

All photos courtesy of Eric Magnuson