[spectre] Two Proposals for WAVES (Acoustic Space. Issue 6)

[joe banks]

Dear Rasa Smite, Armin Medosch and Raitis Smits

I received your call for proposals from the guys at
FACT in Liverpool (where I recently presented a
Disinformation concert and "Rorschach Audio"
demonstration). In relation to your interest in
"electromagnetic waves as material and medium of art",
as I'm sure you're well aware, my project -
Disinformation, has been prolific in researching,
publishing, performing and exhibiting work in this
exact area for 10 years.

There are 2 proposals I would like to put forward for
inclusion in "Waves" (abstracts follow). However, as
well as your journal, I am VERY interested in any
"large scale exhibition event that focuses on the
phenomenon of electromagnetic waves", as I have a
substantial exhibition repertoire that does exactly
this!

Looking forward to receiving your reply.

Best wishes

Joe Banks

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Abstract 1: "Tuning down into the lowest reaches of
the radio spectrum..."

Disinformation is the brand name of an electronic
music, research and installation art project, which
pioneered the use of electromagnetic noise (produced
by live mains electricity, lightning, laboratory
equipment, industrial and IT hardware, domestic
appliances, rapid transport systems, magnetic storms
and the sun etc) as raw material of musical and fine
art presentations. Disinformation has published 7 LPs
and CDs, performed 80 concerts (in Europe, the UK,
Japan, Russia, the USA), and presented electromagnetic
sound installations in 40 group shows and 8 solo
exhibitions. Disinformation exhibits have been seen by
over 100,000 people, and the UK's Guardian newspaper
stated that "Disinformation combine scientific nous
with poetic lyricism to produce some of the most
beautiful installations around". Disinformation is
(arguably) the UK's most critically successful, and
(definitely) most widely exhibited sound art project.
In view of the "Waves" journal's interest in
"electromagnetic waves as material and medium of art",
the proposal is therefore for "Waves" to publish an
article summarising the history of this highly
influential project.

"Tuning down into the lowest reaches of the radio
spectrum, particularly in night's shadow of the solar
wind, the listener encounters a range of diverse
phenomena, opening a window on a world alive with
electrical activity. Whistling atmospherics from
lightning and thermonuclear EMP ricochet along field
lines of the magnetosphere, bouncing between
hemispheres of the globe: storms crackle: biostatics
whisper, hiss, and sigh: televisions scream: pylons
and power loops drone and roar: military signals, the
musical pulses of navigation systems, timecodes, and
coded data broadcast deep beneath the sea. Time and
space divided, live vivisection of particle physics,
voices, map lines, weapons, mirrors hidden by the
illusion of quiet."

Disinformation "R&D", Ash 2.9 CD (copyright Joe Banks
+ Touch Music 1996)

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Abstract 2: "RORSCHACH AUDIO"

In view of the "Waves" journal's interest in "psycho
esoteric utopian: ESP, Raudive, Jirgenson" etc, the
proposal is for "Waves" to publish a heavily REVISED
and UPDATED version of "Rorschach Audio" by Joe Banks.
This project considers research into allegedly
supernatural "Electronic Voice Phenomena" (as
pioneered by Konstantin Raudive and Friedrich
Jurgenson) in the light of anecdotal reports and
experimental studies of related aspects of auditory
perception. "Rorschach Audio" argues that credulous
interpretations of EVP (which are commonplace in
contemporary art) are at best examples of wilful
self-delusion, at worst examples of outright fraud.
"Rorschach Audio" offers the primary hypothesis that
an understanding of the relevant aspects of
psychoacoustics provides a complete explanation for
most EVP recordings, and a secondary hypothesis that
an informed understanding of these processes is as
important to understanding sound art as studies of
optical illusions have historically been to
understanding visual art. "Rorschach Audio" argues for
improved public understanding of scientific
psychology, and for improved understanding of the
relevance of scientific methodology to fine arts
practice.

Earlier versions of "Rorschach Audio" have been
published by PARC / Ash International in 1999, The
Sonic Arts Network in 2000, The MIT Press in 2001, and
Strange Attractor Journal in 2004, since when a great
deal of new (unpublished) material has come to light.
"Rorschach Audio" demonstrations have been given at
MUU (Helsinki), The Royal Society of British Sculptors
(London), Q Arts (Derby), Fabrica (Brighton), Hull
Time Based Arts, UKISC "Sound Practice" (Dartington),
The Foundry (London), FACT (Liverpool), Goldsmiths
(London), The School of the Art Institute of Chicago,
and Beursschouwburg (Brussels).

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