Soundings: Creative Provocations, Poetic Responses

These are a series of poetic responses to works in Soundings which take the form of audio recordings and written pieces. Please find the recordings and transcriptions below.

Curtain is a response to Maggie Groat’s arrangements for rotations – rotations for collections – collections for sounds – sounds for light – light for transformations – transformations for arrangements – using only found materials of significance create an /object – collection – tool/ to / mark > absorb > reflect > refract > witness > carry > light + sound of your surroundings – between the shortest day and the longest night + the day that is equal to the night – between the day that is equal to the night + the longest day and the shortest night – between the longest day and the shortest night + the day that is equal to the night – between the day that is equal to the night +the shortest day and the longest night

Skin of A Curtain Belkin Soundwalk

Beading is a response to Olivia Whetung’s Strata

Chanting Borderlands is a response to Tania Willard’s Surrounded/Surrounding

This is a handout  and transcription that invites you to think about your own experience of Soundings through mapping your body’s course through and responses to the exhibition.

you are, hear

While you walk. While you slow down. While you stare. While you notice your surroundings. While you read. While you think. While you stay. What do you hear?

This blank space is your own gallery. Use it to write words or draw images that relate to what you think, feel and discover with your senses. The things that resonate and inspire you. And the ones that don’t. Draw connections –and conclusions–. Trace your own path. This is the map of your journey. You are, hear.

Where did you hear each artwork? Write down the words that define your experience where you think they belong. Thoughts, ideas, questions, emotions, feelings, actions, reactions, sensations, perceptions… Is this how you embody your experience? Is this a map of your journey? Are you here?

How was your journey? Choose a path, or trace your own.

This is a short, guided sound walk through Soundings.  Please find audio tracks below; a written transcription follows.

Track 1: Introduction
This is a short, guided sound walk through the Belkin’s Soundings exhibition. There are three prompts, recorded as distinct tracks: Portals, Words, and Positions. While considering the prompts, please move through the exhibit as you wish. Begin by wandering for a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the pieces and then start the next track when you feel oriented and ready to have your attention guided.

Track 2: Portals
Look for portals in the artwork—doorways, windows, halls, passages. Consider where your body is in relation to each portal—where does it compel you to be? In front of it? Behind it? Can you move around it? Consider other places you encounter portals in the world––your home, this gallery, outside. What does a portal look like? What does it sound like? How does it feel to be invited into something? How does it feel to be declined entry? Does a portal differ from a border? Return your attention to the artwork. Ask yourself whether you are invited into this portal or not. Act accordingly.

Track 3: Words
When you see words in the artwork, resist the urge to read them left to right. Instead, try reading them in any other order. How many variations are there? Feel free to do this on paper and make a found poem if you wish! If you are able, say the words out loud. Where do the sounds vibrate in your body? Now try saying the words by only saying the vowels. Where do the sounds vibrate in your body? Now try saying the words by only saying the consonants. Where do the sounds vibrate in your body? Feel how you are the instrument, the words are the musician, and the artist is the conductor.

Track 4: Positions
If you are standing, find somewhere to sit. Notice how the seat bends to receive you (or, not). What can you see or sense from your new position? Repeat this exercise, finding another place to sit, and then another. What can you see now, that you couldn’t see before? What has been lost? With each shift, consider how your perspective changes.

Track 5: Wrap Up
Choose one of these three prompts–Portals, Words or Positions–and continue asking yourself those questions during your commute home, for the rest of your day, or for the rest of your week. See how the world around you is its own type of art!

This is a handout which invites you to respond to artworks in Soundings through making a score of their own. Scoring the Soundings

1. For each artwork you visit, choose a note from the left. Whole notes are the longest. Eighth notes are the shortest. Don’t overthink it. Just go with your gut.

2. There are five symbols to the left of the staff: air, water, fire, wood, and stone. Choose one based on your impression of the artwork. Again, it is an entirely personal choice based on any aspect of the work.

3. Place your note on the line you have chosen. You can put it directly on the line, or in the space above or below the line.

4. Admire your completed score. This is the music of your individual impression of the exhibition. Your own melody of listening and looking.

Creating music from a score is an interpretive process. If you would like to hear a simplified version of your melody, take a picture of the completed score and mail it to soundings@nocentre.com In a day or two, you will be sent a private Dropbox link to a sound-file of your melody. Consider the words you thought about while creating it. You could try to use these to write one or two lines of song-lyric or poetry related to your thoughts on the exhibition. It could be an impression of your feelings, what you saw, or a personal memory it brought to mind. Have fun with it.