Reading

I read This America Life Anne Whiston Spirn. I chose this article because it takes the five sense that we use daily and shows how people focus on one of those sense to become better aware of things that surround us. It made me think about how when I walk around I never really focus on one sense and just observe around me. Like touching things, when I walk down a street I may run my hand along a cement wall. I never really think about how that texture actually feels and analyze like the artist in the article do. I just made me think to be more observant with my senses.

For seeing, Denis Wood went around drawing maps of just simple things that you wouldn't think of mapping. He went around mapping power lines and sewer covers. Its seems like it wouldn't be to interesting of a map but from artistic stand point it looks like a very interesting piece to hang on a wall. Jack Hitt focused on sound and recorded just simple sound in everyday things. Nancy went around CA mapping smells which is very interesting. Deb Monroe made a map of her body just by touch. Jonathan Gold mapped through taste on the streets of Los Angeles.

This article made me think about even the simplest things can be art. It also made me want to me more observant in my everyday life and be more in tune with my sense and the things around me.

Sound Walk

Were you able to find places and spaces where you could really listen?
Yes. All of the places we went had lots of sounds to listen to.

Was it possible to move without making a sound?
No. When we were walking on the grass there was the sound of leaves crunching and on pavement the sound of footsteps all made noise so it was not possible. There always seems to be some sort of sound.

What happened when you plugged your ears, and then unplugged them?
When my ears were plugged I could hear the sound of my heart beating and not much other sounds except for a few car horns. When they were unplugged I couldn’t hear my the sound of my heart anymore but all of the other sounds of nature and civilization.

In your sound log exercise, what types of sounds were you able to hear? List them.
Buses, cars, trucks, motorcycles, scooters,(accelerating, decelerating, exhaust, idling, breaking, honking, tires squealing) airplanes flying over, footsteps leaves in the wind leaves on the ground, cicadas, bikes chain, bike tire, car stereo (bass), people talking, laughing, keys, bike lock, door squeaking, door slam, grate banging, birds, food wrappers, water bottle crunching, money change, radio, high heals, pen knocking, hand clap echo, ticket dispenser, truck door rattling, metal pole rattling, coffee maker, keyboard typing.

Were you able to differentiate between sounds that had a recognizable source and those sounds you could not place? Human sounds? Mechanical sounds? Natural sounds?
Yes, all the sounds I heard I had a pretty good idea of where they came from. By being able to see around me I was able to detect where the sounds were coming from and what was making them.

Were you able to detect subtleties in the everpresent drone? Extremely close sounds? Sounds coming from very far away?
One sound that really stuck out to me the whole time was the cicadas. Their high pitch noise was going on for most of our sound walk and was just so noticeable.

What kinds of wind effects were you able to detect (for example, the leaves of trees don't make sounds until they are activated by the wind)?
On the walk I experience a lot of leaves in trees blowing along with leaves on the ground blowing rattling against each other.

Were you able to intervene in the urban landscape and create your own sounds by knocking on a resonant piece of metal, activating wind chimes, etc.?
At one point we tapped on metal railing, which caused it to resonate. It gave kind of a “bong” sound, which slowly dissipated.

Do you feel you have a new understanding or appreciation of the sounds of our contemporary landscape/cityscape?
Yes and no. Living around the same area (and type of area) for the last 3 years I was very used to the sound of city traffic and buses along with some nature sounds (trees and bushes).

How do you think your soundwalk experience will affect your practice as a media artist, if at all?
I think it will help me with making sure to add good background noise to the pieces I create because it is something that people hear everyday but may not pay attentions to.