What is Sound Art?
Sound art is an artistic discipline in which sound is utilized as a primary medium.
Like many genres of contemporary art, sound art may be interdisciplinary in nature, or be used in hybrid forms.
Sound art can be considered as being an element of many areas such as acoustics, psychoacoustics, electronics, noise music, audio media, found or environmental sound, soundscapes, explorations of the human body, sculpture, architecture, film or video and other aspects of the current discourse of contemporary art.
As humans we live in a visually dominated world. Through music and sound we develop our listening skills which enhances our imagination and the world in which we exist.
There is a difference between sound and music. Music is often played by conventional instruments following traditional forms of scales, harmony and rhythm. Musical sounds are often deemed limited by sound artists.
Sound art often makes use of unconventional sounds not usually associated with music. As technology has advanced it has meant that artists have been able to utilize recording equipment and audio devices in order to explore sound as an art work.
When you enter a gallery or museum you are not just having a visual experience… There are paintings and sculptures that draw your attention to sound… Films with soundtracks… Kinetic sculptures from which sound emanates as they move… But there are also installations that actively use sound as a main material…
Visual art is able to create, recreate and evoke a scene or feeling. But most of us do not experience the world in a purely visual way. We are constantly experiencing sound.
Today many contemporary galleries and art museums around the world now let you listen to recordings and compositions created by sound artists as part of the experience.
© 2020 Jimmy Peggie