“A half heard word is more potent than a menage” by Dieter Müh
Title:
- A half heard word is more potent than a menage
Artist(s) and People Involved:
Exhibiting Artist Collective(s):
Symposium:
Venue(s):
Artist Statement:
The theory behind the project is that the imagination is stimulated by incomplete information. A word only partially heard, a fragment of a sentence taken out of context or language spoken in a foreign tongue can lead to misinterpretation and an alternative or parallel context can be developed. We propose that, under receptive conditions, the brain will try to interpret what information is received and, like a fallible computer translation program, the more the signal is processed the more “corrupt” the information will become. This “corrupt” information can potentially lead to new and unexpected associations often grasped on an intuitive and emotional level making for a stimulating and interactive process where every experience is unique and acceptable, each person using their own set of conditions in the interpretation.
We intend to achieve the conditions as stated above by using a digital sampler, tape recorders, shortwave radio, microphones, home made oscillators, various sound effects boxes and a mixing desk to create a stereo “sea” of information whilst a video of people using sign language is projected behind us. The sound elements of the performance will be shifting in space and volume. Microphones will be placed around the performance space to catch fragments of, and possibly encourage conversation, the audience becoming a part of the performance. Prerecorded spoken word samples will be used covering a range of emotions, timbres and contexts such as chanting and shouting, soothing and aggressive tones and the voices of women, men and children. Shortwave radio will be used to pick up live local signals. Tapes will be spliced and processed during the performance using tape delay and pitch shift effects among others.
