Material politics in sound

Abstract

In this dissertation, “Material Politics in Sound,” I utilize an experimental methodology that prioritizes a material-based practice in art and electricity, and in my artistic and scholarly analysis I explore my artistic practice that I refer to as “Material Politics in Sound “(MPS). Fostered by the disciplines of photography, sculpture, experimental electronic music, perception, and circuitry, “Material Politics in Sound” is an examination of sensory thresholds and influences mediated by the material world through lenses of both deception and care. In this dissertation, I outline influences from composers and artists who utilize technology within their conceptual framework. In particular, I am interested in the practices and psychologies behind the making of technologies in relationship to concepts of agency and representation in the world as related to our sensory thresholds. I suggest that by considering sensory experiences and identities outside of the standards perpetuated through our technologies, and by examining the materials that mediate them, this might engender a more diverse and rich opportunity for a wider spectrum of representation in the arts. Through my most recent work, Sonic Spells (EMPAC, 2022) and an analysis of the many collaborative and experimental pieces prior, I demonstrate the practice of a material-based approach to art and technology-making that considers the importance of sensory curiosity, care, and potential deceptions embedded within them. These practices, experiments and conceptual frameworks contribute to the many artistic practices of artists, engineers, and makers working to bring awareness to represent a myriad of sensory capabilities within the electronic arts. Most importantly, this work joins others in the fields of care work and disability justice, with the intension of bringing awareness to the material tangible influence our practices and making have to a greater political and socio-economic system.