abstract: I believe the human mind is not an accurate reproducer of objects and events, but a tool that constructs their qualities. Philosophers Bowman Clarke, James John, and Amy Kind have argued for and against similar points, while Daniel Hoffman and Jay Dowling have debated cases from a psychological perspective. My understanding of their discourse surfaces in Cognize Normal-Like Pleez, a video installation designed to capture the enigmatic connection between perceivers and the things they perceive. The composition encapsulates this theme through a series of five videos that disseminate confusing imagery paired with mangled sounds. The miniatures operate in sequence on computer monitors set inside a haphazardously ornamented tower. Though the original sources for each video communicate clear, familiar subjects, the final product deliberately obscures them. Sometimes sounds and images flicker for only brief moments, perhaps too fast for the human mind to fully process. Though some information comes through, important data supplied by the surrounding context is absent. I invite the audience to rationalize this complexing conglomerate and reflect on how their established biases inform their opinion of the work. Each person likely draws from his or her experiences, cultural conditioning, knowledge, and other personal factors in order to create an individual conceptualization of the installation. Their subjective conclusions reflect my belief concerning a neurological basis for the origin of qualities. One’s connection to Cognize’s images and sounds, to me, is not derived solely from characteristics inherent to it, but also endowed by one’s mind, which not only constructs the attributes one normally associates with the images and sounds (as opposed to the physics and biology that lead to their construction), but also seamlessly incorporates the aforementioned biases. I realize my ideas by focusing the topics of the videos and their setting around the transmission of information and its obfuscation. Just as one cannot see or hear past the perceptual barriers in Cognize, I believe one cannot escape his or her mind to “sense” qualities in an objective, disembodied manner, because the mind is necessary for perception. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Music 2018

Submitted by NICOLAU ANDRE CAMPANER CENTOLA null (centola.nicolau@gmail.com) on 2016-06-27T12:40:35Z No. of bitstreams: 1 doutorado_final_Nicolau_Centola.pdf: 4044594 bytes, checksum: 9895713d712e6a74c342590dd2836715 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Paula Grisoto (grisotoana@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-06-28T16:53:47Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 centola_nac_dr_ia.pdf: 4044594 bytes, checksum: 9895713d712e6a74c342590dd2836715 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-28T16:53:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 centola_nac_dr_ia.pdf: 4044594 bytes, checksum: 9895713d712e6a74c342590dd2836715 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-05-12 / Esta tese de doutorado parte da hipótese de que a incorporação consciente do acaso no processo criativo artístico que envolve a arte sonora é um elemento fundamental para a configuração de uma estética própria na atualidade. Para testar esta hipótese, foi analisada a aplicação do acaso nas artes sonoras a partir do século XX e suas implicações na produção de linguagem baseada neste conceito utilizando dispositivos computacionais. Como consequência deste estudo, foi proposto o desenvolvimento e a implementação de uma instalação sonora, chamada Anthemusa, na qual foram aplicados os preceitos do acaso como elemento principal de criação artística. / This doctoral thesis develops from the hypothesis that the conscious incorporation of chance in sound art’s creative process is a key element in the configuration of its aesthetic. In order to test this hypothesis, we analyse twentieth century sound art and its use of computational devices. As a consequence of this study, we propose the development of a sound installation entitled Anthemusa that, invariably, applies the precepts of chance as its central element.

O presente trabalho versa sobre o aproveitamento compositivo dos entornos sonoros. Para esta pesquisa em composição musical, foram utilizados, como campo de estudo, entornos sonoros localizados dentro de perímetros urbanos e, como materiais na aproximação ambiente/composição explorada, diversas potencialidades musicais dos sons que constituem os entornos sonoros e as organizações deles emergentes. Também foram contempladas como motivadoras e força de coesão nos processos compositivos realizados diversas características da escuta no meio ambiente e do fluxo do entorno sonoro com suas variações. As composições foram realizadas para meios acústicos e eletroacústicos, considerando-se o espaço de diversas maneiras. / This work deals with the compositional use of sound environments and their reflection. For this research in music composition, sound environments located within urban perimeters were used as a field of study, and as materials for the approach environment / composition that explore the diverse musical capabilities of the sounds that make up the surroundings and the sound of these emerging organizations. As a motivating and cohesive force in the processes undertaken, several characteristics of the listening in the environment and the flux of the sound environment and its variations have been included also. The compositions were realized through acoustic and electroacoustic media comprising the space in different ways.

O presente trabalho versa sobre o aproveitamento compositivo dos entornos sonoros. Para esta pesquisa em composição musical, foram utilizados, como campo de estudo, entornos sonoros localizados dentro de perímetros urbanos e, como materiais na aproximação ambiente/composição explorada, diversas potencialidades musicais dos sons que constituem os entornos sonoros e as organizações deles emergentes. Também foram contempladas como motivadoras e força de coesão nos processos compositivos realizados diversas características da escuta no meio ambiente e do fluxo do entorno sonoro com suas variações. As composições foram realizadas para meios acústicos e eletroacústicos, considerando-se o espaço de diversas maneiras. / This work deals with the compositional use of sound environments and their reflection. For this research in music composition, sound environments located within urban perimeters were used as a field of study, and as materials for the approach environment / composition that explore the diverse musical capabilities of the sounds that make up the surroundings and the sound of these emerging organizations. As a motivating and cohesive force in the processes undertaken, several characteristics of the listening in the environment and the flux of the sound environment and its variations have been included also. The compositions were realized through acoustic and electroacoustic media comprising the space in different ways.

Esta pesquisa tem o objetivo de realizar um mapeamento de questões presentes em um conjunto de obras que, a partir de meados da década de 1970, vêm se agrupando sob o termo - arte sonora. Para tanto, este trabalho parte de uma aproximação com o repertório, na medida em que realiza um levantamento e análise, por meio de bibliografia, discografia, catálogos de obras e outras fontes, abordando o trabalho de vários artistas que se destacam nesse âmbito, bem como apontando diversas questões extraídas desse primeiro passo. A partir daí, constatou-se que esse repertório é bastante amplo e divergente, e que a delimitação desse campo pode ser apenas aproximada. Porém, para a realização de um mapeamento do ideário da arte sonora, foi estabelecido um levantamento e análise de obras de artistas que, de uma forma ou outra, influenciaram esse processo. Três referências fundamentais são levantadas e abordadas: a Música Eletroacústica, a Installation Art e a Performance Art. Posteriormente a pesquisa concentrou-se no que, no decorrer da dissertação, chamamos de arte sonora e a partir daí, extraiu-se cinco aspectos considerados fundamentais para a análise e compreensão desse repertório. São eles: Sonoridade, Tecnologia, Interação, Espaço e Tempo. / The main purpose of this research is to map the central aspects that can be observed in a representative repertoire of art works that since the 70\' is been labeled Sound Art. This work starts from the research and analysis of this repertoire based on the available bibliography, audiography, exhibitions\' catalogues and other sources. A representative number of artists are investigated and their work analyzed. From this research it becomes evident that this repertoire is extremely large ample and divergent, and that the delimitation of this field is a difficult task. However, for the accomplishment of a mapping of the main concepts that area related to Sound Art, we proceeded the analysis of a number of works. Three basic references are investigated: Electroacoustic Music; Installation Art and Performance. Afterward the research investigated five aspects that we consider to be of fundamental importance to the comprehension of this repertoire: Sound, Technology, Interaction, Space and Time

ABSTRACT In this dissertation I offer a critical review of ‘sound art’ in Johannesburg between 2005 and 2009. The term ‘sound art’ was coined by Dan Lander in 1989. According to Christoph Cox, Dan Lander’s lament that sound art lacked “any substantial discourse” in 1989 still applied in 2007. My intention in this research is to start such a critical discourse for sound art in Johannesburg. I argue that sound art is a distinctive practice in the city, involving the body politic and underground, surface and edge as characterised by Achille Mbembe and Sarah Nuttall in their recent major work on Johannesburg. First I briefly consider the history of sound art, referring to Brandon Labelle’s view that this history parallels that of site-specific art. I then suggest that the popularity of sound art under review became popular for a number of reasons; what Walter Ong’s termed “a shift in the sensorium”, the immediacy and inexpensiveness of working with sound, and the rise of the home computer. I also locate the sonic practices constituting sound art in audio culture as a whole, focussing on the structure, materiality, recording, playback and transmission of the sonic event in the sonic landscape. Sound, silence, noise and music are all part of this focus. I finally examine sound in terms of space, time, body and network in the work of Frances Goodman, Siobhan McCusker, The Trinity Session, Teamuncool, Gerhard Marx and my own sound work involving sampling, Happy Station (2008) and Slice Me Nice (2009).

My diploma work is an installation, made from multiple instances of a device iniciating string resonance via electromagnetic field. These devices along with strings are placed on the wall in geometrical shape. Installation creates loop on multiple levels. Except the fact that installation have a circular shape, position of each string starts at the end of another string. Second, more inconspicious loops takes place in the electromagnetic device resonating the strings, that do that with feedback loop. Strings consist every step of chromatic scale, that repeats itself, just an octave higher. Amplification of the final sound of strings is done purely acoustically, with help of the wall on wich the piece is installed. This piece is in its nature concerned with spirituality in music, not necessarily in sense of evoking a spiritual experience, but rather demonstrating metaphors and parallels, that exists between physical aspects of tonal music and different religious ideas. The symmetrical shape of installation refer to religious and occult visuality, built f.e. in cabal on Fibonacci numbers, that is present not only in nature ( for example, the veins of the leaves grow by these numbers), but also in tonal music system (ancient philosophers were working with this concept, see Plato's Music of the Spheres). Strings in this piece produce drone sound, that is naturally evoking spirituality (most visible in buddhist monk meditation). This sound in the piece demonstrates immutability and constancy, the fact that all the chromatic tones are playing demonstrates wholeness (this fact may produce interesting resonances emerging between chromatic steps), so to speak, the unchangeable laws of physics, or to put it in religious lingo, the god law. The symbol of loop also refers to religion, like the eternal return of the same, the periodicity of history. Strings can be viewed as astrophysical symbol. Everything stated is nothing but my recourse, that should not ultimately determine the perception of the piece by viewer. The goal of the work is to offer experience without need to be put into context

No description available.

My interest is in the beauty and power of language. I have sought to understand language on a systemic level. I have broken language down to alter signified meaning, exalted extinct words, mourned the loss of formal language, and explored the confines of common vernacular. My artwork addresses meaning within the context of Semiotics and Linguistics. I have investigated the Semiotic theories and philosophies of Roland Barthes, Jacques Ranciere, Pierre Guiraud, and Erving Goffman. As outlined by Roland Barthes, our language is a semiotic system used to communicate meaning. My work is also informed by the rules of Linguistics and the research of Linguists John McWhorter and Guy Deutcher. In my work I have consistently altered the signifiers within our language (words and letters) to affect meaning. I have also broken linguistic rules of syntax, word order, and word morphology (the arrangement of grammatical units), to obscure meaning. In my thesis work I have narrowed the focus of my artwork to exploring the loss of precision in language in popular culture today. I have witnessed changes in language in our culture: changes in language itself and changes in attitudes toward language. Avenues such as the Internet, social media and texting have altered the language people use and have developed a more superficial type of communication. With a desire for ease of delivery and quickness, people have created and used acronyms and catch phrases to carry content. Thus they have created representations for themselves as well as developed a habit of using minimal content. As a result, people have divorced themselves from responsibility for full absorption and communication of information not only in their personal life, but also in their educational and professional life. My work addresses this lack of understanding and reveals the detriment of growing apathy toward clarity in understanding and conviction. My progression to using sound as a medium was a result of my history and experience with music. Through examining the work of contributing artists in sound art, I found artists Laurie Anderson, Susan Philipsz, and Janet Cardiff among the most relevant to my practice. Musicians such as Philip Glass, John Cage and Trevor Wishart, inspired my creative approach as well as how I think about my work. My exploration of sound is not only relevant to the way I work; it is relevant to the direction of the art world. The medium is growing as more museums, galleries and curators are including sound and new media within their spaces. As I continue to develop my artwork and practice, I look forward to what this medium has to offer.

This dissertation explains two sonification platforms designed for image-sound association study and art, and the study results. A platform for user study was developed first and an artistic audiovisual platform was derived based on it. First, the five image-sound association studies were conducted to see whether people can successfully associate sounds and fundamental shapes (i.e., a circle, a triangle, a square, lines, curves, and other custom shapes) and the correct answer rate was high. Then, the same sonification platform was transformed by adding colors to the audiovisual platform for artistic/musical expression. A line-by-line sonification method and an object-oriented method were newly developed to sonify the background and the shapes separately. To enhance user experience, the sound of each shape was spatialized in a multi-layer speaker environment or a virtual listening environment. / Doctor of Philosophy / This dissertation introduces two sonification platforms designed for image-sound association study and art, and the study results. A platform for user study was developed first and an artistic audiovisual platform was derived based on it. First, the five image-sound association studies were conducted to see whether people can successfully associate sounds and fundamental shapes (i.e., a circle, a triangle, a square, lines, curves, and other custom shapes) and the correct answer rate was high. Then, the same sonification platform was transformed by adding colors to the audiovisual platform for artistic/musical expression. A line-by-line sonification method and an object-oriented method were newly developed to sonify the background and the shapes separately. To enhance user experience, the sound of each shape was spatialized in a multi-layer speaker environment or a virtual listening environment.