STUDIO PRACTICE

Persons of Note - further research

I have no comment. What is this?!

Music score for 4"33'

• I am both frustrated and fascinated by John Cage, hence I want to base my project on him. Just like any other contemporary artworks, they tend to be quite subjective and focuses more of a dialogue between the artist and their work. I feel that the audience wouldn't truly understand or find the truth/meaning of the work. We could only assume or interpret.

• I am still wondering and slightly stuck on how I would tackle this brief. I feel that John Cage is quite a challenge as his works are very contemporary/conceptual and visually communicating this could end up being rather vague (may not capture the essence of John Cage's legacy)

• It is said that he creates music in response to his colleague's artworks. For instance his 4"33' was a response to Robert Rauschenberg's 3 panel white paintings series (1951).

• He travelled a lot and met Gita Sarabhai in India, she quoted: "The purpose of music is to quite and sober the mind, making it susceptible to divine influences,"

"Silence is neither experienced, nor is it a property of an artwork." - John Cage, '45 for a Speaker.

• I personally think that his practice challenges the conventional musicology. 

List of items placed in his 'prepared piano'

Sound maps

Some of his compositions were a pain to hear

Thoughts

• I spent most of my time familiarising with his music. As someone who actually plays the piano, listening to his compositions were a pain. There were cases where it would simply be disconnected chords and repetitive sounds (for his prepared piano). 

• It was surely different and interesting in a sense that he uses everyday sounds and was able to capture the subtle sounds that we never really bothered to properly listen to. Though honestly, I thought they were simply noise. Not music. I suppose it was the whole point of his experimental music.

• I got a better sense of what he was like. Now I need to plan and consider visually communicating his practice/legacy. Currently, I am thinking about a contemporary/conceptual approach, as that is what he embodies. Though I may still need to think it through.

Sources:

• J. Robinson, B.W Joseph & Y.A, Bois. The Anarchy of Silence: John Cage and Experimental Art. (2009) Museu D'Art Contemporani De Barcelona. Henie Onstad Art Centre.
• Cage, J. Composition in Retrospect. (1993). Exact Change. Cambridge.
• Losseff, N & Doctor, J. Silence, Music. Silent Music. Ashgate. University of York, US.