The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has decided to put on an unprecedented show. From August 10 to November 3 this year, the institution will hold "Soundings: A Contemporary Score," its first exhibition featuring sound exclusively, proving it as a medium of artistic expression. It will take place in the third-floor Special Exhibitions Gallery and other areas throughout the museum.
The exhibit will see 16 international contemporary artists unveiling diverse sound projects. The artists will try to link sounds with other human senses, with works ranging from audio environments to sound-making objects. There will also be an exploration of how sounds interacts with the space within the gallery. We imagine it's difficult to describe an exhibition that is utterly immaterial, however the museum does state that artists will present a "variety of rich metaphysical and philosophical projects." Sounds kinda trippy, but we like it. It will include Luke Fowler, Marco Fusinato, Christine Sun Kim, Camille Norment, and more.
Sound art is starting to catch on in the world with more and more institutions willing to experiment with the young art form. Colgate University in Hamilton, New York held the first major survey exhibition for Chinese sound art in the world exhibition in March, an exhibition entitled "Revolutions Per Minute." In the same month, BBC Radio 4showcased audio bites as a part of a sound work by Christian Marclay. It's also worth mentioning that artist Susan Philipsz won Britain's biggest contemporary art prize, the Turner prize in 2010, for a sound installation. Is sound art becoming the next big art form? Maybe Marina Abramovic should hire some vocal coaches for her institute.
