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Twin Town High (vol. 8) |
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A Sound in Art / Art in Sound
Friday 27 April @ 13:26:20 |
 by Christopher Koza
Though audio and visual art are best friends forever, they are seldom found weaving the maypole at area art galleries with any cooperative intention other than a convenient flirtation. But beyond the typical high-fashion-big-glasses-and-belts opening night gala, where the DJ is in plain view and the painter is made to speak, sound overlaps in nearly every aspect of American life, although these expressions rarely converge as art for art's sake.
 For all of its applications, sound is not always considered as a medium for artistry. It is often relegated as an accessory to other visual or commercial ideas, or as a means to emphasize a clever or emotional component. It is a detail of daily life within the context of society. One of the fundamental aspects of the Minnesota Museum of American Art's current exhibition Sound in Art /Art in Sound, is that it removes the familiar and literal audio narratives of popular music, soundtrack and daily unsophisticated sounds from typical associations.
In all, eleven artists—many who live and work in the Twin Cities—were corralled for this show by Theresa Dowling, MMAA’s associate art curator. Their work is arranged in the quaint but ample gallery space, which is transformed from a hushed environment to one overflowing with stimulus. Sound in Art/Art in Sound transcends sound as a singular strand of information or accessory aesthetic and allows it to become a critical element through installations, sculpture and interactive works.
One of the most intricate pieces, “Green,” comes from Evanston, Ill., artist Shawn Decker, who creates a rhythm from the natural field sounds of insects, birds and other meadow-life. Decker takes the recordings, and with the construction of micro-controllers and a series of small speakers, draws the viewer/listener in with familiar sounds reconfigured with the ear of an avant-garde record producer.
“The Storm,” a sculpture by St. Paul artist Jack Pavlikfore, shadows an oncoming torrent through a large frame of welded steel holding a long band of bendable spring steel, which is rocked and wobbled by a simple motor. The sculpture functions like an obsessive and unconscious mantis-robot artist, duplicating the sound of a realistic situation. Pavlik accomplishes this storm without recording, while housing the illusionary weather-maker in a cold mechanical fountain.
Abinadi Meza, a Chicago-born and current Minneapolis resident, is a self-described sound artist, who explores the relationships between sound, image and environment in “Beacon,” a brightly burning street lamp surrounded by a gently swirling snowfall. Accompanying the video is the altered recording of the deep drone of a snowplow, combined with sounds of snowflakes falling on metal.
The MMAA is one of the most accessible galleries in the Twin Cities, and its commitment to providing an outstanding outlet to local and regional artists is a welcome attraction in sleepy downtown St. Paul, which should be stirred and whirred awake by the subtle liveliness contained within. ||
Sound in Art/Art in Sound runs through July 1. MMAA is located at 75 W. 5th St., St. Paul, 651-226-1030 or mmaa.org. Museum hours are Tue.–Wed. & Fri.–Sat. 11 a.m.–4 p.m.; Thu. 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sun. 1–5 p.m.
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