Painting in a sonic environment

Abstract

The thesis explores how painting is affected by its sonic environment. The research stems from an artistic response to noise in the environment and how this can be explored through artistic practice. The boundaries of art have and continue to be challenged as visual art has embraced an increasing range of approaches. This research explores the visual experience of viewing a painting alongside the all-encompassing time based nature of a sonic experience and readdresses the way painting operates within its own sound environment. It asks how these different elements can affect the reading of one another and in particular focuses on installations in extreme acoustic spaces, such as anechoic and reverberation chambers. It investigates how introducing sound to the painting arena can affect the reading and also transform the parameters of the painting. The research is practice-based and takes the form of a series of exhibitions, latterly in the form of site-specific installations, which have been evaluated, interpreted and responded to. This has led to a fundamental investigation, both practical and theoretical, into the way that sound and vision work together and how they relate within the context of art. Through the research the format of the painting developed in tandem with the temporal and audio considerations, resulting in all-encompassing installations bringing together panoramic paintings and 3D soundscapes.