Sound Art

Semester and Year	FA 2012
Course Number	ARTS-UG1490
Section	001
Instructor	Nina Katchadourian
Days	Wed
Time	3:30 PM - 6:10 PM
Units	4.0
Level	U
Foundation Requirement

Description

This workshop investigates sound as a medium as it comes into play in contemporary visual art and installation. We will ground the course by looking at examples from early and mid-twentieth century experimental and electronic music that have provided the intellectual and conceptual antecedents for sound art today. John Cage, Alvin Lucier, Pierre Schaeffer, Max Neuhaus, Pauline Oliveros and Iannis Xenakis are some historical touchpoints; Bruce Nauman, Marina Rosenfeld, Christian Marclay, Kaffe Matthews, Steven Vitiello, Chris Kubick and Anne Walsh are examples of contemporary artists for whom sound is central. Students will work both collaboratively and individually using simple sound-editing software. After basic technical instruction in recording, editing and mixing, students will undertake a series of production assignments that will require the use of found sound, appropriated sound as well as field recordings. The course will culminate in an assignment that explores the site-specific uses of sound. There will be visits to various venues in New York, such as The Dream House (La Monte Young/Marian Zazeela), and guest lectures by contemporary artists working with sound. Readings include selections from Audio Culture (Cox/Warner), listening selections from UbuWeb, and a variety of contemporary reviews, criticism and artists’ statements. The emphasis of this class will fall more on expanding conceptual skills rather than on technical development, and experience in sound or video editing is helpful but not required. There will be a very strong emphasis placed on group critique and discussion.

Course Type

Arts Workshops (ARTS-UG)