Artspace’s current exhibitions “Hesitations” and “Cymatic Imprints” focus on the sounds of silence within our daily lives. They provide a very tactile visualization of the near inaudible sounds and whispers we tend to miss.
In her “Hesitations” piece, Emily Hermant uses thread and nails to recreate the image of a sound wave. The sound waves that cover the walls of the gallery are those of the small hesitations and pauses within speech. The slightest sigh—the break in speech—is so quiet and miniscule, and yet it is what holds our conversations together. A lot of the time, we ignore these tiny fragments in speech, but with the scale of Hermant’s art piece, you gain a new appreciation for the tiniest sound within social interactions.
If you go into the mudroom at the back of the gallery, prepare to be hypnotized by Donna Legault’s “Cymatic Imprints.” With the use of a PA system and metal chains, Legault captures low frequency sounds and creates a visual experience of live sound. Her objective with this art piece was to present sound in “real time.” A lot of art pieces that focus on sound focus on sounds or vibrations that jave already have past. With static sculptures such as Legault’s, people become a part of the artwork, providing the sounds and vibrations. As soon as you step into the mudroom, you contribute to the artwork, providing the low frequency vibes for the audio software to pick up.
Speaking of software, did you know that Artspace’s media lab is up and running? The media lab provides the members of Artspace with workshops and orientations on how to use digital equipment such as computers, cameras, and microphones. Providing equipment and tutorials, the media lab’s purpose is to allow Artspace members to express themselves digitally.
I highly suggest you stop by Artspace. Check out the media lab, and absolutely check out the two exhibits on display. “Hesitations” and “Cymatic Imprints” will be shown until January 5, 2013. That’s plenty of time to stop by and be mesmerized by the visualization of sound.
