2008 Next Wave Festival Presents Tracts : An Exhibition of Sound Installations

Tracts is a group show of sound installations at Melbourne's Blindside Gallery as part of the 2008 Next Wave Festival that examines the role of sound in the world. The exhibition explores how sound can shape our understandings of our surroundings and ourselves, bringing into question the nature of space within a gallery and the role of the subject in experience. Assembled by several of Australia's premier emerging sound artists, the exhibition invites the audience to enter, surround, and interact with the installations.

Inspired by German architect Friedrich Kiesler's interest in the interrelationships between people culture and space, with a particular focus on the role of sound in this regard, the exhibition presents four individual installation works, all of which create singular spaces in the gallery while at the same time intermingling with one another, their environment and their subjects. In encountering each work, the line between audience, artwork and gallery blurs, challenging us to confront the continuity that exists between all three as well as, more broadly, art and life itself.

Tracts is curated by Ben Byrne. Former director of the Electrofringe and Liquid Architecture festivals Ben is an electronic musician, improvisor and artist currently undertaking a PhD on the nature of sound. The show also features the work of Adam Costenoble (Sydney), Matt Chaumont (Sydney) and Thembi Soddell (Melbourne). Musicians and gallery artists, Adam Costenoble and Matt Chaumont have both received Helen Lempriere Art Prize Awards, alongside Thembi Soddell who has released several albums and most recently performed at the Melbourne International Biennale of Exploratory Music.

This show is a part of the 2008 NEXT WAVE Festival 15th – 31st May
www.nextwave.org.au

Venue: Blindside Gallery, Level 7, Room 14, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston St, Melbourne
Enter via lifts in Cathedral Arcade Cnr Flinders Lane
Opening: Thu 22nd May, 6 PM – 9 PM
Dates: 22nd May –7th June (Not Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays)
Times: 12 PM – 6 PM

ARTIST CONTACT: Ben Byrne, 0405 836 470, ben.byrne@gmail.com
MEDIA CONTACT: Miyuki Jokiranta 0448 727 388, miyuki@seventhousandoaks.org