Introduction
(Julianne Swartz, Sound Body - Listening Body, Off-site location taken by Vanache)
I had the pleasure of discovering yet another artist, who’s work I found to be inspiring. Her name is Julianne Swartz. She’s best known for her multi-sensory installations, such as; (ongoing exhibit) In Harmonicity, the tonal Walkway, at MASS MoCA, MA; (ongoing ExhibitBlue Sky with Rainbow, at the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth, AU; Sonic Arcade, Shaping Space with Sound at the Museum of Art and Design, New York; and Resonant Spaces at the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, NH. Julianne’s latest achievement, “ Sounding Body - Listening Body”, was open for viewing at the High Line Nine from June 4th - 27th, 2019 in partnership with Josee Bienvenu Gallery and the Chelsea Music Festival.
The Exhibition
(Julianne Swartz, Sound Body - Listening Body, Off-site location taken by Vanache)
In Sound Body - Listening Body, she presents eight objects from the series, selected for their tonal and visual compatibility.
The Sounding Body
(Close-up, Julianne Swartz, Sound Body - Listening Body, Off-site location taken by Vanache)
Visually, Swartz’s handcrafted objects appear as abstracted shapes and deformed body parts. Their forms share a familiarity within the group, yet maintain their own unique characteristics; utilizing acoustically reflective materials such as ceramics and glass.
The Listening Body
(Me listening to the sound of pure sin waves, Julianne Swartz, Sound Body - Listening Body, Off-site location taken by Vanache)
Conclusion
(Close-up, Julianne Swartz, Sound Body - Listening Body, Off-site location taken by Vanache)
I felt Julianne Swartz’s Sound Body - Listening Body, successfully encourages the viewer/listener to explore the unique qualities of pure sound. Her ability to capture unique tones through her handcrafted objects is admirable to say the least, and serves as an allegory to the human body, which come in different shapes and sizes based on the experience of the individual. The experience, as it were, could be described as sitting in a bath of warm, etheric, and colorful sounds. As a musician I found myself drifting into my imagination; flashing images of sea coasts, crashing waves and floating sensations.
