“Diam!” (Be Quiet!)

Since the 1950s the spatiality of sound has become a key concept in different fields of artistic practice, emerging as one of the most relevant subjects in the contemporary arts. Ideas related to sound and space have been used in different discourses and practices to refer to or to explore perceptually different facets of the spatiality of sound. In the field of fine art they have been associated with the emergence of sound art, while in music, they have been associated with spatial music. In spite of this widespread interest in sound and space, the uses of spatial concepts in relation to sound and music have been inconsistent, with different authors and practitioners referring to different aspects of the complex relationship between the two. In this article I suggest a typology with five categories to describe five meanings of space I identified in the recent literature of music and sound art: metaphor, acoustic space, sound spatialisation, reference and location. With this typology I expect to clarify the contemporary uses of space and spatial concepts in music and sound art.

Sound art is a difficult to categorise and broad genre description that draws together modes of creative practice which use sound as a medium or a subject. The field is considered to be critically underrepresented and under-theorised despite an increase of attention and popularity since the 1990s (Licht 2007, 2001, Cox 2009). This is partly as a consequence of an analytical and historical emphasis on textual and conceptual approaches which dominated the arts through the 1970s and 1980s (Cox 2011, 2013). In particular, acknowledgement of the influence of object-based and kinetic sculpture within the field of sound art is found to be inadequate (Chau 2014, Keylin 2015). This thesis presents an original body of sound art practice as a means through which to uncover and explore connections between sound art, experimental composition, kinetic art and sculpture. The term 'electromechanical' is used to identify this work, highlighting its particular concerns with the use of electrically animated or amplified materials. Through the production, exhibition, critical appraisal and contextualisation of the work new observations and distinctions within the field are presented. These include the identification of a 'closed system aesthetic' and the distinction between robotic and process driven approaches to electromechanical sound art. A further contribution to the field consists of a detailed consideration of sound art emerging from an intersection of experimental music and sculptural practices during the 1960s. The original works produced for the project, and their production are documented and described in detail alongside existing canonical and contemporary examples of sound art. Analysis of these works is informed by materialist and object-orientated critical positions, and science and technology studies. The method of art practice as research is described and extended in an original way that encompasses and applies a systems approach to creative practice.

Globalization is a factor that contributes to the unification and integration of national cultures of different countries of the world. This phenomenon, of course, has a significant impact on the development of modern painting. The article is devoted to the analysis of the work of contemporary artists in order to identify the features of the process of their transformation in the context of the development of global art. The boundaries of the concepts of "world art" and "global art" are defined. The characteristic features of the modern global art environment are revealed, as well as the forms of their perception and interpretation in the works of such artists as Chris Metze, Douglas A. Kinsey, Claire Fahy, Katarzyna Zvolinska, Nazafarin Lotfi and Daniel Hutchinson. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that the article examines the works of individual and most famous contemporary artists in the context of such a phenomenon as "global art". Here a watershed is drawn between the concepts of "global art" and "world art", their boundaries and the most important features are determined. Thus, it contributes to the formation of ideas about the global trends of artistic and creative activity on the example of specific paintings. Relevance and short-termness are designated as the main features of global art, which strongly affect the artistic form, figurative language and ideological content of works in the art of modern painting.

Just as contemporary art absorbs objects and cultural phenomena that are not yet art into its orbit, so too has rock and pop music become increasingly omnivorous at its definitional borders. Core to these analogous developments is the mythologization of the figure of the "band" as a creative agent and "world-maker." Although a band might produce material artifacts and sensorial affects, its perceived existence is predicated upon a consensually recognized, although not uniformly projected, immaterial fiction somewhere in space and time. There are, at least hypothetically, an unlimited range of objects and concepts that a work of art or rock band might draw into its network of relations. Somehow, both a work of contemporary art and a band are capable of maintaining a sufficient degree of referential identity and unity, which, despite potential changes and evolutions, remain recognizably consistent across multiple material forms. The apparently permeable nature of these definitional boundaries brings us to analogize contemporary postconceptual art with the absorptive world-making capacity of bands, which we refer to as "bandness."

This is a book about video art, and about sound art. The thesis is that sound first entered the gallery via the video art of the 1960s and in so doing, created an unexpected noise. The early part of the book looks at this formative period and the key figures within it - then jumps to the mid-1990s, when video art has become such a major part of contemporary art production, it no longer seems an autonomous form. Paul Hegarty considers the work of a range of artists (including Steve McQueen, Christian Marclay, Ryan Trecartin, and Jane and Louise Wilson), proposing different theories according to the particular strategy of the artist under discussion. Connecting them all are the twinned ideas of intermedia and synaesthesia. Hegarty offers close readings of video works, as influenced by their sound, while also considering the institutional and material contexts. Applying contemporary sound theory to the world of video art, Paul Hegarty offers an entirely fresh perspective on the interactions between sound, sound art, and the visual.

This article explores an initiative aimed at fostering a culture of electronic music and sound arts in Peru, focusing on the Open Science project, Circuito Abierto (2022–2024). It explores how Circuito Abierto , an annual artistic residency rooted in Open Science culture and organised by the Laboratorio de Música Electroacústica y Arte Sonoro at the Universidad Nacional de Música (UNM, formerly the Conservatorio Nacional de Música ), challenged traditional and conservative educational structures within Peru’s academic landscape. The project promoted an open, collaborative approach to music creation, aimed at bridging the gap between academic and popular music scenes in the education of electronic music. Circuito Abierto may serve as a case study for addressing broader historical challenges in Peruvian music education, particularly with regard to music technology and experimental electronic sound art practices.

The work concerns the (short) period lived by Ivo Andric in Krakow in 1914, after his stayin Wien and before coming back to Sarajevo. During a few months in Krakow, Andric writes threeinteresting essays about Krakow, its art and its artists. Andric faces art from the past (Wawel, the RoyalCastle) and contemporary art (works by the youngest Polish artists). His judgments are always accurate,in particular about contemporary Polish art, even considering the judgments by the latest art historians.Andric will always consider his interlude in Krakow as a fairy tale. For people involved in his works, onthe other hand it represents the foundation of his growing-up intellectual think.

Atomic theories are deeply rooted in many sound art practices. Originating from philosophical thought in ancient Greece, atomism evolved into the modern era through advancements in scientific observations and modelling. In turn, many researchers and artists in the past century have developed numerous musical practices and techniques drawing on atomism – such as granular synthesis. This thesis explores my work in granular synthesis music technology and composition inspired by the atomism of Epicureanism – one of the ancient Greek atomist philosophies. This begins with a two-part literature review. First is a review of granular synthesis and its parent field, microsound, focused on musical interpretations of atomism. Second is an analysis of Epicurean atomic philosophy and Epicurean-inspired sound artworks; the Epicurean poem 'The Nature of Things', by Lucretius, is pinpointed as a key inspiration source for both myself and other artists in the field. In the chapters that follow, these two domains merge as the foundation for my creative research project, applying atomic concepts to both technology development and composition. My collection of custom-built granular synthesisers is presented, showcasing their novel deconstructive techniques for controlling sound grain streams at a per-grain (‘atomic’) level. Then, my portfolio’s two major granular soundscape compositions – made using my new synthesisers – are analysed. These works depict journeys through earthly and cosmic environments inspired by Lucretius’ poetic descriptions of reality and its elemental origins. Most importantly, these works highlight my project’s core atomic interpretation – sound grains as metaphors for Epicurean atoms.

What does a one hour contemporary orchestral piece by Georg Friedrich Haas have in common with a series of glitch-noise electronic tracks by Pan Sonic? This book proposes that, despite their differences, they share a particular understanding of sound that is found across several quite distinct genres of contemporary art music: the ecstatic-materialist perspective. Sound in the ecstatic-materialist perspective is considered as a material mass or element, unfolding in time, encountered by a listener, for whom the experience of that sound exceeds the purely sonic without becoming entirely divorced from its materiality. It is “material” by virtue of the focus on the texture, consistency, and density of sound; it is “ecstatic” in the etymological sense, that is to say that the experience of this sound involves an instability; an inclination to depart from material appearance, an ephemeral and transitory impulse in the very perception of sound to something beyond – but still related to – it. By examining musical pieces from spectralism to electroacoustic domains, from minimalism to glitch electronica and dubstep, this book identifies the key intrinsic characteristics of this musical perspective. To fully account for this perspective on sonic experience, listener feedback and interviews with composers and performers are also incorporated. Sound in the ecstatic-materialist perspective is the common territory where composers, sound artists, performers, and listeners converge.

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A Comprehensive Reference to the History of Art A comprehensive and authoritative five-volume set, the illustrated Facts On File Encyclopedia of Art presents the entire history of world art, from Paleolithic art to modern art, from Africa and Asia to Europe, the Americas, and beyond. Embracing a global perspective of art and expertly explaining the development of art across time and cultures, this richly illustrated reference is organized chronologically into insightful chapters, each dealing with the art of a specific period, geographic region, or civilization. These subjects are broadly defined in a way that most students of art history will recognize and find useful. A Fascinating Visual History Combined with Expert Scholarship Covering all of the recognized major arts, including architecture, painting, drawing, and sculpture, as well as other art forms such as ceramics and metalwork, Facts On File Encyclopedia of Art shows readers the diversity of expression in the visual arts. Fundamental characteristics of the major styles and periods of art history are clearly expressed, and their significance is analyzed. The sections on Modern American Art, European Art Since World War II, and various others detailing non-Western art are especially current, covering topics such as feminist art and women artists; graffiti art; video art, sound art, and installation art; and pluralism in art at the beginning of the 21st century. Interesting, Informative Special Features In addition to the clearly written text and beautiful full-color reproductions of artworks, Facts On File Encyclopedia of Art contains many special features intended to highlight major topics, spur readers to further research, and ensure easy access to information. Maps show readers the locations where civilizations and peoples created their works of art, text boxes offer detailed explanations of selected topics, and a bibliography follows each section.

Contributors

Our relationship to place has significant — and variable — value and can provide us with important insights into the current state of society in various periods. Yet with the arrival of communication technologies and media in the course of the 20th century, the sense of belonging of person and place seems to be endangered. This is proved by a swathe of critical reflection on the character of modern society and on the relationship of man and place, beginning with the work of the Frankfurt School formed in the 1920s in Germany. The sense of alienation from the city environment in which most of today's population lives, as well as the sense of general uprootedness from one's own living space, meet with a strong response also in the thought and expression outside the field of social sciences. The relationship of man and space has become both a motif and a motivation for the works of contemporary artists and art theorists. The approach of art and art theory, which consists in mastering the specific tools of the language of art, opens a new direction on the reflection of this relationship. On a theoretical level, it calls for a temporary abandonment of the terminological codifications of modern science and for a participation of the imagination on the part of the viewer, allowing him or her to enter a field of common communication. On the practical level, it speaks primarily to the viewer's senses, producing a new experience of an emotional and personal character.

How students are taught to think about what is considered "art" and who are "artists" contributes to their sense of self within the world. It can confine them to accept a system that devalues and excludes or it can inspire them to explore the political dimensions of art, to recognize social contradictions, and to contribute to cultural dialogue. The purpose of this study is to provide content for an art curriculum that develops the intellectual capabilities and broadens the critical consciousness of students. The study of aesthetics, art history, and art criticism offer possibilities for understanding the multiple social, historical, and cultural meanings of art. This dissertation adopts feminist approaches to the study of art as a means of exploring how the social reality of racial designation influences African American artistic production and meaning. Consideration is given to the cultural values that have influenced the meaning of African American art, a regional history of African American cultural production in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the experiences and artistic production of several regional African American artists. Throughout history, African American aesthetic values have been inseparable from ideological struggles for assimilation and self-determination. In 19th-century New Orleans, the work of slave and free Black artisans and free artists of color met the needs of a society that had developed a distinct Creole identity. Racial barriers limited the artistic productivity of all African Americans including the fine artists who were considered a third racial caste, had white patrons, and sometimes were trained in Paris. Following Reconstruction, legal restrictions and racial violence severely limited artistic opportunities for African Americans in New Orleans. Contemporary artists still face barriers as race relations change in the city. Interviews with five Black artists revealed the importance they attribute to transmitting African American cultural values to young people and the function of art as a means of responding to the social stereotypes that devalue African American people and culture. Conclusions of this study indicate that issues of racial identity and African American cultural values should be included in the art curriculum.

The Shape of Desire