Full text | PDF | UnDisciplined (Feb 2020) | Request Permissions
Variable Frequencies: A Sound Installation Investigating Process and Interaction
Angus Tarnawsky
Variable Frequencies is a sound installation that uses transmission to question expectations of causality and interactivity. I explore this from an aurally-informed perspective, paying close attention to the concept of affect as a relational force. My understanding of this approach and acknowledgement of its importance was nurtured through a series of experiments with portable radios. Through these experiences, I observed that both transmission and reception are often affected in ways that are non-linear and unpredictable. The artwork that emerged from this research, Variable Frequencies, uses the infrastructure of radio to facilitate engagement with sound and space. In this paper, I will outline the practical mechanics, theoretical framework, and socio-political rationale of Variable Frequencies, detailing how the project generates an experiential platform for investigating process and interaction.
Keywords: Affect, Installation Art, Noise, Radio, Sound Studies