Micro-Cinematic Essays on the Life and Work of Marcel Duchamp dba Conceptual Parts, Ink, is a collaborative “conceptual art” album featuring my own writing and vocals (much of it recorded using my iPhone Voice Memo app) and the sound design of electronic music composer Chad Mossholder. The work consists of nineteen experimental tracks that we refer to as “close readings” focusing on the work, language, notes, and influence of Marcel Duchamp on contemporary forms of remix practice. Many of the tracks actually remix my own voice with the voice of Duchamp. An exploration into glitch, microtonality, and the spectral analysis of recorded voices over time, Chad and I surgically alter the aesthetic frequency of what is often referred to as “the artist’s voice” and, in the process, invite the listener to rethink the interrelationship between critical writing and critical listening.
This new sound art work will premiere at the “Collider-4: Spectacle” exhibition along with my VJ-inspired surround sound artwork, CODEWORK, at the Emily Davis Gallery in the UA Myers School of Art. “Spectacle” is the fourth exhibition in the Collider Series. Accordig to the curators, “the series examines the impact, implications and inspiration of new media within design and fine arts. ‘For this exhibition,’ says co-curator Markus Vogl, ‘the term Spectacle refers to an event that is memorable for the appearance it creates. Spectacle operates in two contexts simultaneously: on one hand, it refers to high culture performances such as drama and movies, where the draw for an audience is the impressive visual accomplishment. On the other hand, it refers to low cultural shows operating in a folk environment. These can range from freak shows to beast play.”
“Spectacle” is co-curated by Rod Bengston, director of University Art Galleries at UA, UA graphic design faculty members Tony Samangy and Markus Vogl, and guest curator Margarita Benitez, assistant professor of fashion design at Kent State University.
It should also be noted that this work is made possible thanks to a visiting and virtual artist residency for both Chad and I at the Centre for Creative Arts at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. We hope to launch the worldwide release of the album later this spring.
