#sound object

Before the days of sampling and computer manipulation of sounds, musicians used analogue tape recorders to record natural sounds and tape splicing techniques. Musique concrète uses natural sounds to create aural compositions. This excerpt is taken from the BBC 1979 documentary "The New Sound of Music".

MoMA'€™s first major exhibition of sound art presents work by 16 of the most innovative contemporary artists working with sound. [read more]

ARTISTS: Luke Fowler & Toshiya Tsunoda / Marco Fusinato / Richard Garet / Florian Hecker / Christine Sum Kim / Jacob Kirkegaard / Haroon Mirza / Carsten Nicolai / Camille Norment / Tristan Perich / Susan Philipsz / Sergei Tcherepnin / Stephen Vitiello / Hong-Kai Wang / Jana Winderen

Untitled II by  Marianthi Papalexandri-Alexandri

Untitled II (2010) Solo for motors and resonant body (2012)

Marianthi Papalexandri-Alexandri’s work includes compositions, installations, and performances for sound objects and sound sculptures that she creates herself and in collaboration with Swiss artist Pe Lang. Her work focuses on the production and reception of sound by questioning and transforming the role and function of the instrument as a sound-generator (object as instrument and instrument as object), as well as the type of sound production and behavior of the performer. Through her composition-installation works, such as “Untitled II” and “Solo for motors and resonant body,” she explores the idea of using motor-driven sound props that function both as sound sources and as active preparations (kinetic sound objects) determining the speed, rhythm, dynamics, and other musical parameters. This process encourages the performer to listen proactively and become aware of the possibilities latent between him or her and the instrument. Furthermore, it questions the role of the performer by highlighting the differences between performing, playing, and operating (performing the installation).