RESEARCH

Can maybe start off with what we would like them to feel and experience, then can work outwards from there.

I was thinking the influence mental silence

Words
Discursive-> what is the question we want viewers to ask? Is the piece directing them to question something (then what could be our method of questioning) or is it emotions we want them to feel or is it both or does one come after another?

Sound  

Silence
Sound of silence (from our second concept)
-> spaces that emit silence could be:
Physical -> (I think those silent rooms could be a little scary and disconcerting  was chatting w Chengyue she said that it feels like it could be a place to provide challenge to the public like who can stay inside the longest rather than a space of respite hahaha interesting observation.)

Or
Emotional/mental -? Like a place to break/pause/stop & listen

-> could it be abt creating a stillness/a silent presence?

• Like in an installation but is it a created atmosphere or like creating something to enhance a certain location’s atmosphere

-> what elements create stillness (is it subjective or objective ?)

For me its like the inflating and deflating balloon, it feels like a heart pacer or an unconscious breathing exercise, v calming to watch hahaha

Or even things that are symmetrical, horizontal lines, idk fresh air hahahah like the smell of grass

In terms of sounds (idk if too literal/obvious but just putting it out)
Flowing river, the sound of a gentle breeze (interesting cos u can’t really hear that in and of itself but its kinda reflected in the surroundings like mm rustling leaves, fluttering gauzy fabric, floating fog), wind chimes/bells? Like a temple?, rippling water

What is the atmosphere we want to create and how do we prompt an emotional response?

What contributes to creating an atmosphere? (from the reading) -> dependent on people’s emotional sensibility (at the end of the day we cannot move everyone just hopefully most people)

People, air, noise, color, materials present, textures, forms
I guess space too like the distance at which you can enjoy the atmosphere? If its something grounded, or suspended, or balancing precariously or firmly rooted

Space

Sounds of a space (this is like our first concept)

Not only physical sound but sounds we attribute/remember based on the memories attached or emotional significance

<Like if we remove all the sounds from NTU what would we hear? Hahhahaha is this  too out there/unhelpful qn??? Idk i think it would make a majestic sound like a wise old whale hahahahahhahaa u know that echolocation woooooooOOOOOOooooooooOOOO sound >

Listening  
<Ok this is the mess I’ve got so far will dig for some examples now I hope….this is useful LOL >

Megan Geckler
Creating lines to enhance depth and height; makes you feel smaller; contemplative mood/ transforming spaces

Sounds of spaces

Interesting forms actually it reminds me of those tube things at children’s playgrounds where u can speak and listen to ur friends like a v primitive telephone

Sculpting the wind, kinetic sculptures v pretty! Also his artist statement q congruent w some of our key words

Sound sculpture-i know we’re trying to move away from this but its cool but yknow everything is cool to me lol

http://www.electronicbeats.net/the-feed/hear-an-interactive-sound-sculpture-inspired-by-radical-modern-art/
Wah

“conceiving of sounds as constructive material, as architectural elements that allow a space to emerge. “ https://www.archdaily.com/168979/bernhard-leitner-sound-spaces

sounds like sand/beads falling through tubes so nice haha therapeutic

<aha so funny>

<Omg i thought about something simlar to the archi one with the 360 speakers, dammm>

<Haha can see how we can expand on that >

So gentle and serene

“A round surface of water in the glass with a floating magnetized needle, reminds me somewhat of a tiny earth with geomagnetism. The smaller the sounds of the glasses will be, the more keenly viewers’ sensibility will be sharpened. In the meantime, they realize that the sounds don’t come from outside of their bodies, but already exist inside of their mind.” – Nelo Akamatsu

I love the minimalist approach of only using a few elements and letting the complexity emerge from having multiple instances. Also, where most sound art is often very “visual” in simply showing the elements that the installation experience exists of (the speakers, the wire, the sensors), this work does not show the regular elements but maybe an even more stripped version of it. A speaker is also a coil being pushed and pulled, it also works with electromagnetism. In that sense, Akamatsu’s work is a very, very rudimentary work of sound art.

http://www.faena.com/aleph/articles/how-silence-sounds-in-the-desert-or-the-illusion-of-the-mute/

Only lets 5 people in at a time , sculptural and experiential room

Commentary on the sound of NTU vs a response to the noise in NTU

IDEAS

1st approach: On creating physical silence in NTU

Goals: To create an environment that is mindful of our surroundings, reminding us of the value of silence in an environment that is totally saturated with sounds.

To question the necessity of so much sound.

To create moments of stillness, although not a comforting sort of silence rather a very careful, tip-toe-y kind of silence

 

Output:

1. Sleeping lions(hungry Lions) /  Sleeping babies ( Crying babies) / ERP gantry that is activated by sound, deduces money/ something else from you as a penalty if you activate it  

-Participatory installation

– induced silence from two main channels with is either fear or the act of being considerate.

– what would truely induce silence, would it be the fear of losing your life for out of concern for others.
<UPDATED!>

2nd approach: On creating a mental silence (serenity)

Goals: To create a space in time to pause and listen
In response to a sound saturated environment
How we see silence
An experience that is visceral rather than intellectual

Output:
1. An abstract sculpture/installation composed of different materials that evoke calmness, stillness and silence , or extreme interest that causes people to pause and notice

-Maybe something suspended that will guide the eyes upwards to take a break from what they’re doing and breathe.
Possible locations: Library
2.

3rd approach:  Sounds a space produces
Goals: Not in a literal representation but of the emotional/spiritual (cant think of a better word) sounds of a space
Abstracting the essence of NTU and attributing it to a sound
Eg: the bustle of students coming and going, their joys and their struggles, all these sounds define ntu however when we remove the sounds that occur within the school, what sound would this building facade make?

Output: 1. A physical representative of the abstract? Or more we could do a representative of data collected ( cos i think this would be quite subjective, would it be better to do a survey?)

 

-To be continued-