“The Activity of Sound” in Art

On Nov. 30, see "Gutai Beach Party," a performance recording at the Night Gallery at Tempe Marketplace. Performance still, Scott Andrew, Harrison Apple, Tobias Madison, Stephanie Ross, Suzie Silver.


Photo by Suzie Silver

October 31, 2012

Closing out a year of Cage Centennial celebrations, ASU’s Night Gallery presents original sculptures, videos, and computer art by internationally renowned artists.

Artists affiliated with the ASU Herberger Institute School of Art and School of Arts, Media + Engineering, the ASU New College Interdisciplinary Arts and Performance program and invited guests will come together to honor legendary experimental composer John Cage.
This exhibition, partially funded by the City of Tempe, is a tribute to visionary American musician, writer, and visual artist John Cage on the 100th anniversary of his birth and the 20th anniversary of his death.

"When I hear what we call music, it seems to me that someone is talking. And talking about his feelings or about his ideas of relationships. But when I hear traffic, the sound of traffic—here on Sixth Avenue, for instance—I don't have the feeling that anyone is talking. I have the feeling that sound is acting. And I love the activity of sound [...] I don't need sound to talk to me."

-John Cage

During the month of December, ASU’s Night Gallery will be full of artworks that create sounds, respond to sounds, provoke thought about sound and manipulate the sonic environment. Kinetic sculptures, sound-responsive electronic installations and video art fill the gallery with the Activity of Sound. Eight of the artists in the exhibition are associated with ASU: Associate Professor Barry Moon; Associate Professor Hilary Harp; Associate Professor and Interim Director of the School of Arts, Media + Engineering Garth Paine; Professor Muriel Magenta; Lecturer and PhD candidate Byron Lahey; PhD candidate Tatyana Koziupa; and alumni Laurie Lundquist and Tim Hogan. Also featured are Canadian artist Reva Stone; Pittsburgh artists Scott Andrew, Harrison Apple, Stephanie Ross and Suzie Silver in a collaborative project; and Swiss artist Tobias Madison.

  • From Nov. 30 through Dec. 30, at the Night Gallery at Tempe Marketplace, see "Endangered Sounds," by Garth Paine, an art/sound project that first lists and then collects evidence of the presence of protected sounds. This picture represents some of the Sound Marks collected by volunteers.




    Photo by Garth Paine

    Photo Courtesy

  • "Subway Sonata 3," by Muriel Magenta, is among the installations in “The Activity of Sound” exhibition. Still frame from the video depicting sound vibrations from wireframes of a 3-D animation.




    Photo by Muriel Magenta

    Photo Courtesy

The artists reception is from 6-9 p.m., Nov. 30, 2012. Night Gallery hours are 6–9 p.m. Tuesday–Sunday.

Known for his pioneering use of chance operations in the production of art works, Cage’s work has been so influential on all of the arts, especially dance and the visual arts, that he is considered one of the forefathers of interdisciplinary and intermedia approaches. Although many of his most important works were completed more than 50 years ago, his ideas remain fresh and provocative. His continued influence is celebrated in this lively exhibition, which will close out a year of worldwide celebrations of the John Cage centennial.

The Night Gallery is a community outreach gallery displaying works by ASU School of Art graduate students, faculty and alumni that embraces the role a university can play in the off-campus community. Night Gallery is a constantly changing, 3,800 square-foot exhibition and experimental art space made possible through a partnership between Vestar Development Company and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. Unique performances including music, dance, readings, theater and video also are staged at the Night Gallery.

The Night Gallery is located at the Tempe Marketplace, 2000 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, AZ. The gallery is on the west end and south side of “The District” between Barnes & Noble bookstore and Aeropostale.



Public Contact: 
James White 
ASU School of Art professor 
480.734.8064 
James.white@asu.edu

Media Contact:
Michelle White 
ASU School of Art 
Night Gallery 
480.734.8058 
mjwhit10@asu.edu