For the whole of the month of September sound artist (and Kyma user) Robert Jarvis will be based in Chongqing, China, to create an installation for the opening of the city's new Museum at Chaotianmen Square.
Working in collaboration with a wide range of the Chongqingese, Jarvis will create a sonic response to the developing city and its relation to its inhabitants. Through a series of projects, people will contribute descriptions of their favourite sounds and these will form the basis of the material that Jarvis will work with to shape into the final art-piece. Projects arranged include a competition for people to submit descriptions of their favourite sounds (advertised on radio, in newspapers and an extensive poster campaign throughout the city) and an education project for school and university students.
The resulting work, to be launched on 30th September, will consist of the recorded sounds manipulated into a surround-sound composition and complemented with a visual element based on the sound descriptions. It will be on display until 31st December 2005.
It's the artist's intention to keep a dialy blog of the creation of the sound installation (internet access willing...) and this will be posted at: http://www.robertjarvis.blogspot.com Discussion(Eyewitness reports, descriptions, discussion):
Sound and the City has caught the imagination of several people, and talks are underway with government officials concerning its possible permanent installation in one of the city's museums.
-- RobertJarvis - 22 Nov 2005