Abstract
In Danish, the word overheard has two contrasting meanings. It both refers to the situation where we do not pay attention to what we were supposed to hear, as well as the situation in which we vaguely hear something that was not intended for our ears. Our artistic research project The Overheard1 reflects on this ambiguity by staging overhearing as an essential ecological mode of listening in which the field of the overheard as a “vibrant plenum reminds us of the profound physical interconnectedness that is our true environment” and thus as a “prime integrating factor in the understanding of our place” (Dunn, 1997).
Based on our previous experiments2,3,4,5 we are currently developing The Overheard as a part of the official program for European Capital of Culture, Aarhus 2017. The project has a broad, public impact and will be encountered by guests visiting the capital of culture and/or the website during 2017. The main objective is to invite everybody to listen more carefully and rediscover our sounding surroundings. This is unfolded by offering several different listening experiences in the form of thematic live concerts, sound installations and the development of a dynamic soundscape webpage. During 2017 we will present sound sculptures at different locations around Denmark - and connect the locations and sculptures in real time through an online mixer. Practically this is done through the construction of a so called Audio Satellite which is a device comprising of a Raspberry Pi running Pure Data and DarkIce, a stereo audio interface, and two microphones all collected in a weatherproof box, requiring only power and an internet connection to work. The captured sound is streamed to the project website where the audience can mix the six audio stream with a simple mixing interface
In Danish, the word overheard has two contrasting meanings. It both refers to the situation where we do not pay attention to what we were supposed to hear, as well as the situation in which we vaguely hear something that was not intended for our ears. Our artistic research project The Overheard1 reflects on this ambiguity by staging overhearing as an essential ecological mode of listening in which the field of the overheard as a “vibrant plenum reminds us of the profound physical interconnectedness that is our true environment” and thus as a “prime integrating factor in the understanding of our place” (Dunn, 1997).
Based on our previous experiments2,3,4,5 we are currently developing The Overheard as a part of the official program for European Capital of Culture, Aarhus 2017. The project has a broad, public impact and will be encountered by guests visiting the capital of culture and/or the website during 2017. The main objective is to invite everybody to listen more carefully and rediscover our sounding surroundings. This is unfolded by offering several different listening experiences in the form of thematic live concerts, sound installations and the development of a dynamic soundscape webpage. During 2017 we will present sound sculptures at different locations around Denmark - and connect the locations and sculptures in real time through an online mixer. Practically this is done through the construction of a so called Audio Satellite which is a device comprising of a Raspberry Pi running Pure Data and DarkIce, a stereo audio interface, and two microphones all collected in a weatherproof box, requiring only power and an internet connection to work. The captured sound is streamed to the project website where the audience can mix the six audio stream with a simple mixing interface.
Through The Overheard we wish to actively engage a broad public sphere to critically reflect on our sounding surroundings. In this way we aim to expand Brandon Labelle’s understanding of the overheard as a generative, political and messy field of possibilities (Labelle, 2012) into the area of sound art and design in public space. An expansion that allows for an ecological approach focused on the multisensory background, the atmosphere and the overheard, as well as raising issues around intimacy, surveillance and telepresence.
References
Dunn, D. (1997) Nature, sound art, and the sacred. p. 3. In: Music from nature. Ed. by D. Rothenberg. Terra Nova, 2(3): 61-71. The MIT Press.
LaBelle, B.: Shared Space. Talk at ”The Sound of Architecture" at Yale University 4-6, October 2012.
Based on our previous experiments2,3,4,5 we are currently developing The Overheard as a part of the official program for European Capital of Culture, Aarhus 2017. The project has a broad, public impact and will be encountered by guests visiting the capital of culture and/or the website during 2017. The main objective is to invite everybody to listen more carefully and rediscover our sounding surroundings. This is unfolded by offering several different listening experiences in the form of thematic live concerts, sound installations and the development of a dynamic soundscape webpage. During 2017 we will present sound sculptures at different locations around Denmark - and connect the locations and sculptures in real time through an online mixer. Practically this is done through the construction of a so called Audio Satellite which is a device comprising of a Raspberry Pi running Pure Data and DarkIce, a stereo audio interface, and two microphones all collected in a weatherproof box, requiring only power and an internet connection to work. The captured sound is streamed to the project website where the audience can mix the six audio stream with a simple mixing interface
In Danish, the word overheard has two contrasting meanings. It both refers to the situation where we do not pay attention to what we were supposed to hear, as well as the situation in which we vaguely hear something that was not intended for our ears. Our artistic research project The Overheard1 reflects on this ambiguity by staging overhearing as an essential ecological mode of listening in which the field of the overheard as a “vibrant plenum reminds us of the profound physical interconnectedness that is our true environment” and thus as a “prime integrating factor in the understanding of our place” (Dunn, 1997).
Based on our previous experiments2,3,4,5 we are currently developing The Overheard as a part of the official program for European Capital of Culture, Aarhus 2017. The project has a broad, public impact and will be encountered by guests visiting the capital of culture and/or the website during 2017. The main objective is to invite everybody to listen more carefully and rediscover our sounding surroundings. This is unfolded by offering several different listening experiences in the form of thematic live concerts, sound installations and the development of a dynamic soundscape webpage. During 2017 we will present sound sculptures at different locations around Denmark - and connect the locations and sculptures in real time through an online mixer. Practically this is done through the construction of a so called Audio Satellite which is a device comprising of a Raspberry Pi running Pure Data and DarkIce, a stereo audio interface, and two microphones all collected in a weatherproof box, requiring only power and an internet connection to work. The captured sound is streamed to the project website where the audience can mix the six audio stream with a simple mixing interface.
Through The Overheard we wish to actively engage a broad public sphere to critically reflect on our sounding surroundings. In this way we aim to expand Brandon Labelle’s understanding of the overheard as a generative, political and messy field of possibilities (Labelle, 2012) into the area of sound art and design in public space. An expansion that allows for an ecological approach focused on the multisensory background, the atmosphere and the overheard, as well as raising issues around intimacy, surveillance and telepresence.
References
Dunn, D. (1997) Nature, sound art, and the sacred. p. 3. In: Music from nature. Ed. by D. Rothenberg. Terra Nova, 2(3): 61-71. The MIT Press.
LaBelle, B.: Shared Space. Talk at ”The Sound of Architecture" at Yale University 4-6, October 2012.
Original language | Danish |
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Publication date | 2017 |
Publication status | Published - 2017 |
Event | Sound + Environment 2017: Art | Science | Listening | Collaboration - University of Hull, Hull, United Kingdom Duration: 29 Jun 2017 → 2 Jul 2017 https://soundenvironment.net |
Conference
Conference | Sound + Environment 2017 |
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Location | University of Hull |
Country/Territory | United Kingdom |
City | Hull |
Period | 29/06/2017 → 02/07/2017 |
Internet address |