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Martin Janicek's strange new layers.

Article Excerpt
A precise definition of sound art is obviously impossible, since it is used by different kinds of public to mean different expressions of acoustic creation. But maybe we can find a few fixed points. Sound is one element in many areas of visual art, for example objects, installations or videos. The birth of a new (or otherwise unusual) sound source, often with a conceptualist background (which is why we can speak of the beginnings of sound art as going back to the Futurists) is more important than composing for the emergent object-instrument. Many works are site-specific installations giving out sound in response to the events in a given place (whether visitors or natural elements). If recordings are actually made at all (in cases where the works have the character of musical instruments) in most cases these are improvised rather than composed.

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As examples of sound art we might mention a number of realisations by Christian Marclay (video Guitar Drag (2000)--the "lynching" of an electric guitar tied to a moving truck), Terje Isungseto's experiments on ice instruments or the work of that tireless creator of new instruments and installations driven by the author's set of numerous special effects, CO Caspara.

Sound art is when sound is a fundamental part of an object or installation, but it ought to be something more than just sound--although I realise that some projects are just sound, but for example distributed through space. What are important are spaces, objects, but above all new sound experiences, says one of the few representatives of sound art in the Czech Republic, Martin Janicek (1961). During his studies the former drummer became aware of a way to put together his two loves, music and fine art, and began to create sound installations, sculptures or new musical instruments.

I listened to lots of industrial projects and experimental music. I came to AVU (the Academy of Visual Arts) late--not until 1990. In Milan Knizak's...

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