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Signal to Noise,
2004
Signal
to Noise.wav
Signal
to Noise2.wav
A spinning cylinder covered with recordeable audio
tape that can be played and recorded onto with a handheld
device.(4ft x 2ft x 2ft))
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at Newspace Gallery, Portland Oregon |
"Signal
to Noise"is an interactive installation which explores
the human relationship between sound, graffiti and public art.
How do people relate to public places and architecture? People
generally try to make their space more comfortable by putting
a part of themselves into their surroundings. At home people
like to hang pictures, put up wall paper, or paint the bathroom,
whatever. In relation to public architecture customization is
sometimes actualized through graffiti. Tagging is an underground
means of claiming turf, notoriety or in the case of New York
graffiti artist Chico obtaining paying commissions.
Another way people relate to public space is through music.
Bass booming cars and head-phoned pedestrians are both configuring
their public space and in some way putting themselves into it.
Sometimes bystanders are annoyed by window rattling bass of
a passing car, similarly some people find graffiti unsightly,
each individual customizing a public space can cause a lot of
noise, learning how to optimize the "signal to noise ratio"
(the amount of unwanted information to the amount of desired
information) is part of living in an urban environment.
"Signal to Noise" develops a physicality for the signal
to noise ratio by turning an audio tape player inside out allowing
users to record audio as if it were hand written graffiti: anonymous,
distorted, personalized, yet accessible to anyone who searches
for it.
The piece consists of a large metal cylinder 4 feet high by
24 inches in diameter covered with wide gauge audio tape spinning
at a constant velocity. Users interact with the cylinder through
a hand held reader/writer which when held against the cylinder
will play audio recorded on the tape or record sound onto the
tape via a mic. The surface of the tape is a uniform black abyss
with no visual cues to indicate where audio may be, the user
must either search for it and/or record their own. Over time
the build up of sounds and voices will cover the surface of
the cylinder, creating distortion and in some people's opinion,
noise. But everywhere in the noise there is a signal.
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