Reflecting on how my work in progress might effect change, and where you think the power lies in that:
Matarasso writes that “art creates change, but it should be in the hands of the person who experiences it, not at the command of another, whether artist or funder.”. (François Matarasso, 2019)
Critical Reflection: In my opinion, François makes a contradictory statement. Words like ‘should’ and ‘command’ because the artist is creating their own experience not commanding the person experiencing to feel forceful which is a contradiction in his argument that it’s the experience that creates change. It’s not the creator that ‘should’ impact a change, it’s the experience of the creation that impacts a change. I agree with ‘art creates change’ however, ‘but it should be in the hands of the person who experiences it.’? The experience of art is a beautiful way to create change through perception. My perception is individual in opinion, and I agree, it ‘should be’ from my experience that from my perception I can create this ‘change’, however, François further argues ‘not at the command of another, whether artist or funder’. The artist creates an experienceable body of work. The contrast between the artist and the experience of art is coherent. The change created by art comes from the individual experience, of the artist’s experience in practice. The effect of change lies in the power of expression. By the artist expressing themselves, the experience is therefore left up to interpretation and the interpretation is communicated by the expression therefore in my opinion the artist’s expression creates change.
Seminar Sound & Social Practise:
Hector PhD – Rural futurism: non-urban environments represented in sound art.
Lesson Notes
- Ceilidh – means, unity, together, gathering, community.
Socially Engaged Artist Practice Work Examples
Hector Artist Work – pfft ensemble:
Worked directly with prisoners designing interfaces and computing a sound-making engine. Half were incarcerated, and the other half were at potential risk of reincarnation. This way of working is interesting to Hector because of the challenges that are raised…
Hector Artist Work – Toll:
Work about the worry that bells in Scotland’s highlands were forgotten in the pandemic crisis. In a serious situation, however, Hector led a workshop that experimented with bells and primary school children to create sound art.
Cat Meighan & Hector Artist Work – Attend:
Exhibition about domestic abuse.
Becca Rose, Jasmine Butt, Kathy Hinde – Nom Nom Nand Nom:
Accessible soldering synthesisers in a community setting.
Ellie Harrison – All That Lives:
Making grief accessible for the community. Ofrendea – Mexican culture table for offerings for people passed away. This project was exposed to problematic cultural appropriation which is seen to be offensive. There’s also a fascinating documentary.
Sonic Examples:
Sound Walking the Energy Transition: Maja Zeco, Rachel Grant, Gisa Weszkalnys, LSE
Move towards green energy, however, to the decrement of underprivileged communities.
Doing Birds: Steve Urquhart, HMP Perth
Radio project. Listen to archival recordings of bird life with prisoners.
Intersymmetric: Mark Fell, Higger Tor
Drum machines operate from different browsers. Worldwide interactive work. intersymmetric.xyz
Bibliography
François Matarasso (2019). A restless art: how participation won, and why it matters. London: Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Uk Branch.