John Griznich – Senses of Place:
Observation and intervention strategies in working with sound
May 2 – 4
The sensory experience [of light and sound] are phenomena of the weather-world. They belong to the fluxes of the medium, not to the conformation of surfaces. – Tim Ingold
In this workshop we will briefly cover a broad range of topics that can loosely be assembled under the theme “perception of the environment”. Whether it is open wilderness, cultivated landscapes or the built environment, we constantly inhabit and participate in an ever evolving world. Yet in light of the ever increasing dominance of mechanization, automatization and virtualization in the post-modern world, a priori issues such as environmental degradation and climate change are pressing us to fundamentally re-examine our relationship to the places we inhabit (particularly in understanding our responsibility). Despite the complexity involved, defining and cultivating environmental relations is rooted in perception and must be practiced though observation and direct involvement. It is here that strategies of artistic practice play a vital role in the creative interpretation, intervention and re-appropriation of the everyday. Key questions we will address include: What types of meaning do we derive from the living landscapes and places we inhabit through sound? How can we listen in to environments on a geomorphological level? What methods or strategies can be used for understanding the non-human or extra-human world? How do we understand the semantic relations between sounds, in both the “real” world and “mediated” formats?
The workshop will be structured around open discussions and hands-on exercises to enhance participants working language and practical experience. No previous experience in working with sound is necessary. Feel free to bring your own recording devices as we will work with what we have (digital recorders, cameras, smart phones are all usable). Participants should dress comfortably and appropriately for whatever weather conditions may occur.
About the host:
John Grzinich (US/Estonia) has worked since the early 1990s as an artist and cultural coordinator with various practices combining sound, moving image, site-specificity, and collaborative social structures. He has performed and exhibited in North America, Europe and Japan and his compositions have been published on a host of international labels. He lives in Estonia and works as a program coordinator for MoKS artist-run center.