Self-portrait in Sound

Writing assignment

Susan Philipsz Art 21 feature

Philipsz purposely uses only two of the 24 parts of a composition in one of her works to create an empty feeling, to make the audience feel the missing performers. What other effects can this technique achieve?

Response to one of the pieces

I love Janet Cardiff’s Forty Part Motet. I think choral music has a unique ability to move people and evoke a rich, warm feeling. With the added dimension of space, of being surrounded in the sound, I think the effect would be even more felt. I also love how she added the part in the beginning where it’s just the singers casually chatting. Choral music can sometimes feel other-worldly and detached, but this grounds it and makes it feel personal.

Finally, I think her approach is interesting, how she collects objects and treats her work with sound as a collage. It reminds me of what I saw at Matisse and the Sea this weekend. They had several African sculptures that were in Matisse’s personal collection, and I could see how Matisse drew inspiration from them. It reminds me that I can look to the things around me to draw inspiration for this project.

Discussion

Sonic Meditations

I’ve taken many walks at night to think before taking action, but it hasn’t occurred to me before to walk quietly and attune myself to the sounds around me. I would pay attention to what I felt and saw, but sound is a whole other sense I’ve been missing.

Silence so deep

I find it fascinating that Adams writes, “when I enter my studio, I do so with the hope of leaving the world behind, at least for a while”. Yet doesn’t seem to quite be escapism, if his goal is to “draw people to be fully present, to listen deeply to this world that we share”.

Proposal: swimming

• jumping in
• coldness of water
  • tinny, prickly sound
• pulling the water
  • chugging along, like an engine
  • exhaling
• pain
  • buildup
  • muscles screaming
  • high-pitched sound
• flow
  • bell chime
  • humming

Final version