Bztm's Blog

Welcome

bztm — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 06:44:45 +0000

Sacred Soundscapes is an immersive audio-visual installation exploring the significance of sacred sounds in the context of Singapore’s contemporary soundscape. It was open at Esplanade Tunnel Link from 9th April to 2nd May 2010.

On this blog you can find out how this piece of work developed from its initial inception, through research, reflection and experimentation. I recommend you use the Blog Navigation tab at the top-right hand side of this page, to find your way around this blog.

Also, if you live, or have lived in Singapore, you may wish to take a few moments of your time to contribute to my ongoing research into the local soundscape:

Click here to take survey

If you’d like to find out more about my work or previous projects please visit www.zaitang.com or contact me at email@zaitang.com

Limited Editions

bztm — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 06:51:58 +0000

A limited number of Sacred Soundscape CD’s and DVD’s are now available to buy.

The CD’s are strictly limited to an edition of 30, and have individual hand-made covers. Each CD has been numbered and signed by the artist. Priced at S$25 each

The DVD’s are strictly limited to an edition of 5, and have individual hand-made covers. Each DVD has been numbered and signed by the artist. Contact artist for price.

If you’re interested in purchasing a CD or DVD please get in touch with the artist: email@zaitang.com

Ongoing research

bztm — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 09:07:33 +0000

Below I have written briefly about some of the strands of research that inform my creative practise.

Synaesthesia

bztm — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 06:50:31 +0000

Another important strand of my research grew out of my interest in synaesthesia, a condition in which one sensory modality directly stimulates a perceptual experience in another. For example, a synaesthete might be able to hear a colour, or taste a shape (Dann, 1998). I’ve always been fascinated by the visuality of sound, particularly how visual ideas of texture, gesture and transformation can be translated into a sonic language and vice versa. To me, soundscape composition is an inherently audio-visual medium, as our experience of it unfolds in the mind’s eye as much as the ear.

If you’re interested in synaesthesia, you may wish to read an article I wrote, which was recently published in Grey Matter magazine. It’s entitled “Comparing the relationships between music and image-making in the works of Kandinsky and Klee with that of Electroacoustic composers“.

The essay is preceded by a short introduction, which outlines my previous project Sonorous City and how the research for the essay relates to it. To download the full article click the image below:

References

Dann. T (1998) Bright Colours Falsely Seen: Synaesthesia and the Search for Transcendental Knowledge New
Haven: Yale University Press

Positive Soundscapes Project

bztm — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 08:48:00 +0000

Here is a video introducing the Positive Soundscapes Project:

Acoustic Ecology

bztm — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 08:16:41 +0000

My work is strongly influenced by experimental music and sound-based artistic practise; in particular Acoustic Ecology, defined by R M Schafer as:

…the study of the effects of the acoustic environment or SOUNDSCAPE on the physical responses or behavioural characteristics of creatures living within it. Its particular aim is to draw attention to imbalances which may have unhealthy or inimical effects.

The Positive Soundscapes Project, a detailed 4-year study, has been trying to identify and find solutions to these imbalances in both London and Manchester. Similarly, the New York Society for Acoustic Ecology has spearheaded several community-based soundscape projects, such as Sound Seeker and City in a Soundwalk, which encourage participants to actively engage with their sonic environment and reflect upon its impact on their daily lives. (NYSAC, 2007: 55)

Although the scale of my work and research may be smaller in comparison, I see my project as running parallel to those aforementioned. Whilst the agency of getting people to engage with certain elements of their city’s soundscape via a composition in a public space may differ from their methods, a common goal is shared - to heighten the sensitivity of our ears and help us establish a stronger connection with our environment through listening.

References

Schafer, R. M. (1977) The Soundscape: Our Sonic Environment & the Tuning of the World, Vermont: Destiny Books

New York Society for Acoustic Ecology (2007) New York Society for Acoustic Ecology, In: Carlyle, A. Autumn Leaves: Sound and the Environment in Artistic Practise, Paris: Double Entendre

How things developed

bztm — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 09:13:29 +0000

Here I have documented how the ideas for my installation progressed both spatially and conceptually, through experimentation and testing. You will also find a few of my drawings, which I used within the final composition.

Banyan Tree Studies 2

bztm — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 02:00:00 +0000

Here are a few more banyan tree drawings using charcoal:

“banyan tree study 4″ (charcoal on paper, digitally inverted)

– copyright of BZTM

“banyan tree study 13″ (charcoal on paper, digitally inverted)

– copyright of BZTM

Research Methods

bztm — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 08:55:09 +0000

My research for this project consists of two main strands: 1) Self-directed soundwalks around different parts of Singapore in order to both observe and record the soundscape, and 2) Gathering feedback from local people about their experiences of Singapore’s sound environment, both online (in the form of a survey) and face-to-face. Below you will find documentation of my soundwalks (with sound clips and photos), as well as some written reflections about them.

Subuh

bztm — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 05:15:43 +0000

This morning I went to Muscat Street to record the Subuh (call to prayer – dawn) at Masjid Sultan: