“National Grid” in “London – A Sonic Fragment” at The Auricle, NZ
“London – A Sonic Fragment”
The Auricle
35 New Regent St
Christchurch
New Zealand 8011
Exhibition dates – 5th to 28th Feb 2015
Opening event – 6pm 5th Feb 2015
From the official press release: “London – A Sonic Fragment” is an ambitious group show that brings together contemporary sound artists congregating in London, England. Despite tough living conditions, for artists especially, the capital still attracts and fosters a rich sound art scene. Their sonic concerns are varied as they are broad, travelling across spaces: galleries, nightclubs, squat parties, academic institutions and site specific work. “London – A Sonic Fragment” aims to provide a glimpse of the cross disciplinary activities and shifting terrain of sound art emanating from the UK capital. London’s vibrant scene is installed into and pouring out of The Auricle.
http://auricle.org.nz/london-a-sonic-fragment/
The exhibition is curated by sonic artist Justyna Burzynska, and features work by Shelley Parker, Disinformation, Graham Dunning, Greta Pistaceci, GPUD, Brown Sierra & Helen Frossi. The Disinformation artwork exhibited at The Auricle is “National Grid”, to quote from the website…
“National Grid” by Disinformation is a pioneering and highly influential sonic arts concept, first realised live and published on LP in 1996, first shown as a gallery installation in 1997, since exhibited at Kettle’s Yard, Fabrica, Le Bon Accueil and GV Art galleries, and performed at ZKM in Germany and London’s Hayward Gallery, etc. The legislation through which (Tory) Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin created Britain’s “National Gridiron” in 1926 was (ironically) described as “the most Socialist piece of legislation ever known”, and Lenin is said to have defined Communism as “Socialism plus Electrification”. The lowest G on a piano keyboard resonates at a fundamental frequency of 49Hz, while in the UK the sine-wave produced by Alternating Current resonates at 50Hz. “National Grid” manipulates direct outputs from live mains electricity, using a version of the microtonal tuning technique pioneered by the composer Guiseppe Tartini, to create a pulsing low-frequency sound mass, which is presented as a hypnotic and monolithic soundtrack to contemporary urban life, and as a sound-tribute to the creative genius of electrification.
