L.A. Looks at Sound

When the Los Angeles Institute of Contem- answered pertinent questions concerning porary Art (LAICA) realized the importance of sound art. Before the show surfaced, it was introducing the public to the multifold ac- all a matter of "hybridization, interdiscipline tivities of artists working with sound, there and synaesthesia," which it is; but by the were no really clear-cut ideas on the essen- time the performances ended, those who tial nature of this art. But over 35 artists ex- took the opportunity to engage themselves hibiting in one space, and two weeks worth of seemed to develop a sensibility in tune with individual performances, both raised and the remarkable cohesions experienced through sound art. In the best works, one was rewarded with something more than pleasurable aesthetics, reaffirming the rich rewards inherent in pure sensory perception. In many cases, this was the subject and meaning of the work. But the unique quality of contemporary sound art is the ability to in19 clude literal contents-poetic form is often achieved. Whereas the "meaning" might retain the ambiguous or even paradoxical nature of musical meaning, art entered through the doors of conception in a variety of ways. The overall characteristic of the events rest in their ability to arouse a natural sense of participation. The Sound show's cohesion provides a new basis for contemporary art theory. Now might be a good time for critical theorists to regard the astonishing aesthetic unity from a more integrated conceptual base. A criticism oriented to the fragmentations of "intermedia," however true, is going to sooner or later wane in expressing the expanded realities of sound art-and performance art. There is a close parallel, of course, though what differences there are can be revealing in the quest for a contemporary art theory. Obviously sound art involves sound as a predominating characteristic. But what is the predominating characteristic of performance ? The temptation is to think in terms of "theatre," although there are severe limitations in conceiving of performance in the light of theatrical concepts. The parallel of sound art and music is identical. In both cases, "sound" and "performance" are the higher, less limited, more inclusive forms. To think of music as an aspect of sound, as "theatre" as an aspect of performance, is far more meaningful to the contemporary mind that vice-versa. The fact that we have these limited points of view stems from the disadvantageous orientations of a criticism rooted in modernist aesthetics. That a transitional dialogue is necessary is beyond question, and this is precisely what Peter Frank's What can be described as "west coast innocence" can be advantageous at times. In performance art, whether oriented to sound or narrative, there is far less dependence on theatrical theory since we have so little creative theatre here to influence us. somewhat definitive catalogue article expresses , and Richard Armstrong's observations , too. But it is a little like reading Susan Sontag for the third time-we now know it to be all too true. Like so much of the "expanded consciousness," it expands itself into the obvious . By the way of illustration, there really is no question of "music" being in any way oppositional to sound art. Even in cases where the sound utilized is totally lacking in musicality, musical movement is achieved in other ways. Bob Wilhite's performance consisted in a continuous, barely oscillating drone tuned to a gorgeous revolving geometric painted sculpture which played against colored lighting. The subtle color changes and relationships soon became the "musical" aspect of the work, which is not only all mentioned, but an environmental installation as well. Alvin Lucier's art achieves the highest perceptual intensity, while at the same time incorporating a profound literality-actual words describing actual conditions. Time itself exists both in the usual accustomed continuum of the present, and in a kind of weird "eternity" as well. By stating exactly what he is going to do on a tape "somewhere in a room different than this one we are in," he tells us he is going to change his imperfect and occasionally stuttering speech into a smooth and perfect harmonization of resonating sound, rhythmically structured identically to his speech. This...