In this 5.1 surround sound album, recorded prose is combined with sonic landscapes in an attempt to create an experience somewhere between reading a book and going to the movies. Twelve written pieces arrived at through automatic writing, journaling, and dream re-interpretation move through worlds blending modular synthesis, sound design, sampling, homemade instruments, and field recordings in order to crossfade listeners between real and surreal settings.
[Nov 7/9] Timothy Fodness: Spacemen Waving at the Camera
Timothy Fodness
Friday, November 7th 2014 at 8PM (Opening)
Admission: $15 at the door, $10 online: http://www.hyphenhub.com
Sunday, November 9th 2014 12-5PM (Open Viewing)
Admission: FREE
Location: Hyphen Hub @ The Red Door
140 West 24th Street
New York, NY (Chelsea)
Spacemen Waving at the Camera is a 5.1 surround sound album consisting of twelve prose pieces backed by sonic landscapes.. This prose, which is heard through the recorded voices of three readers, was created by using improvisational methods of writing that were lightly edited down only to read more fluently. These methods include automatic writing, journaling, and a type of dream re-interpretation involving word association..
Much like the writing, the soundscapes were also arrived at through the process of improvisation. Using a performance set-up based around a modular synthesizer, improvisations were recorded, added to the prose, and edited only where needed.. Layers of field recordings, sound effects, samplers, and homemade instruments were then brought in to help create the feeling that the listener is being crossfaded between real and surreal worlds. These worlds are at times very musical, but in some cases the musical elements behave more as characters living within them.
The choice to present this project as a 5.1 surround sound installation was made as an attempt to take an album format into an environment that feels more like going to the movies, but at the same time induces a book reading experience in which the listener’s imagination is called upon to create it’s own visual imagery. The surround sound environment also allows listeners to feel immersed in sonic worlds, and gives them the freedom to physically move around if they desire..
The total run time of this album is one hour. On Sunday, November 9th from 12-5pm, it will be played several times (with short breaks in between) at the Red Door in Chelsea. A short preview of the work will be played at the same location on Friday, November 7th as part of a Hyphen Hub Salon with fellow Harvestworks resident Christina Campanella.
This project was created as part of the Harvestworks New Works Residency. It was written, composed, and arranged by Tim Fodness, and mixed in 5.1 surround sound with Paul Geluso. The voice actors are Webster Howe, Christina Campanella, and Greg Steinbruner. Special thanks to Harvestworks interns for their help.
Tim Fodness is a sound artist, sound designer, and writer of short stories and prose.. In 2012, he collaborated with sculptor George Turner on the sculptural piece Bertha Mars Fossillator (The Harmonic Crusade or So it Goes) and released an album of original compositions entitled Robert Cane’s Unusual Collection. In 2013, his multichannel work Untitled Suggestions and So It Goes was shown at Harvestworks Digital Media Arts Center. He is an assistant engineer at Duro of Brooklyn, a participant in the 2014 Vox Novus 60X60 Surround Sound Works, and a 2013/2014 resident at Harvestworks.