presence (not present) cassette players (x30) sound (∞ or there abouts), 2015                                                         

 

‘Presence (not present)’ is an environmental sound sculpture sculpted from musical sound that explores the inner space experienced in practices such as meditation.

The piece consists of a drone based sonic atmosphere (composed in the key of D to one up Terry Riley) which is being invoked from a grid of 30 C46 cassette players. The effect is a cloud of harmony that the auditor can perceptually alter by navigating themselves to a different physical location within it.

Instructions being left to both patrons and invigilators to “please turn tape over when side has finished” guarantee that none of the 30 components will be playing at the same position within the composition any time after the initial sounding. The atmosphere is subject to an evolution and decomposition over its course making the resultant experience one of an immersive, interactive, constantly shifting and indeterminate sonic landscape.

This is an excerpt of the piece’s running at the Under Control exhibition in 2017. The finite / temporal nature of this audio recording, the fixed position of the stereo pair and also the conversation running consistently throughout do not well reflect the nature of the piece. But, with that said                               

nothing is perfect.