Podcast #292 – The History of Sound Art

Radio Survivor

Tuesday, April 6th, 2021 - 58 seconds

What is sound art? And what do we know about its origin story? We explore this question and more with our guest this week, artist and educator Judy Dunaway. An adjunct professor in the History of Art Department at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Dunaway’s recent article, “The Forgotten 1979 MoMA Sound Art Exhibition,” is a fascinating look at the history of sound art and highlights important contributions by female artists. In our wide-ranging discussion, we also hear about Dunaway’s own artistic practice, from her work with latex balloons to transmission art to a “phone improv” show over BlogTalkRadio a decade ago.

Show Notes:

Judy Dunaway’s website
Amplified Tenor Balloon work
The Forgotten 1979 MoMA Sound Art Exhibition appears in Resonance: The Journal of Sound and Culture
Maggi Payne’s website
Connie Beckley’s artwork at MoMA
Julia Heyward bio on Electronic Arts Intermix
Judy Dunaway’s Duo for Radio Stations was simultaneously performed over college radio stations WFMU and WKCR
Phone Improv Show
Sound artist Nam June Paik created the transmission art piece Good Morning Mr. Orwell using TV stations in Paris and New York City
Cellist Charlotte Moorman was Paik’s muse and he made the “TV Cello” for her over which he would broadcast live video
Max Neuhaus, most known for his piece Times Square, did an early work, Drive-In Music, using radio transmissions as well as other transmission works, including Public Supply I (using listener phone calls to WBAI) and Radio Net
Alvin Lucier‘s oft-cited piece I am Sitting in a Room can be heard on YouTube
Artist Rie Nakajima‘s piece Wind Touch
Sound sculpture organization Powland
Minimalism (art)
Minimalism (music)

Related Episodes about sound art, transmission art, women in sound:

Radio Survivor Podcast #190: Radio Spectrum and Transmission Art with Amanda Dawn Christie
Radio Survivor Podcast #193: Wavefarm, Reveil and Transmission Arts
Radio Survivor Podcast #289: Celebrating Women in Sound
Radio Survivor Podcast #151: The Wave Farm Grows Transmission Arts
Radio Survivor Podcast #137: Zach Poff Build a Radio Station Inside a Pond

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