This article was about framing what is known as sound practices in the UK. Toop says he prefers to call them sound work. which I reflected on in my audio paper with a similar opinion. I do find the sound arts term umbrella can at times be difficult to pinpoint exactly what we’re talking about. Toop speaks on his thoughts about the sound art community and the obsession with the object and the outcome rather than the actual creation and process which he says is more important. This is similar to the German article speaking on capitalism and how sound sculptures and hundreds of speakers in a room increased the popularity of sound arts once it was able to be purchased as most other artwork in galleries are.
Christian Marclay is spoken off with his vinyl creating pieces, as well as Radiophone Workshop as important pioneers in the UK sounds arts cannon. He speaks that the BBC did everything to suppress the experimental electronic music that was happening at that time from Germany, America, Italy, France but struggled. In turn, this leads the UK to create its own sound art scene independent of others. Creating and maximising without limits.
Toop speaks an important point that a lot of the early UK sound art work was fragmented through other mediums. Such as the famous Doctor Who theme song created by Delia Derbyshire. Because it came through the television set in the context of popular entertainment it had a powerful effect. It seems that what fits in an art historical narrative is not all sound works.
Another part Toop speaks of is improvisational works and performances, how they changed the idea of what could be sound arts and the liberation of structure.
Some of the free improvisation groups were really about conflict resolution: they were people who were diametrically opposed in what they were doing yet were supposed to be working together in a situation where nobody was directing them. There was no third party to produce an external focal point; everything was down to them working this out through the music.
I find this idea interesting to approach for an installation context outside of performance. What if you made an installation with the ability for the mobile visitor. The fifth dimension to collaborate with the installation and change it alongside having a conversation with the existing piece. And how would you guide the space and audiovisual work to dictate that to the mobile visitor?