Radiophonic Territory (Nocturne), 2011

Postcommodity - Albuquerque and Phoenix, USA

Sound installation, social collaboration and performance

This large-scale architectural sound installation brings the Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities of Toronto together, unifying multiple voices into a singularly focused sonification – a beautiful, oscillating tone with physical, spiritual and auditory resonance.

Radiophonic Territory (Nocturne) is activated by community confessions; the work culminates in a dialogical feedback loop.

Comprised of suspended natural fibre ropes woven into a three-dimensional geometric pattern inspired by Anishinaabe and Iroquois design.  The ropes are activated with tonal vibrations at multiple points generated by transducers translating signal from a live FM broadcast of community confessions. The confessions provide a complex meta-narrative to explore the complexities of the contemporary colonial landscape. As the ropes are activated, they generate multiple tuned oscillations that are processed through piezo microphones and amplifiers, then mixed with the originating broadcast signal and re-broadcast, in real time, back to the community.

Postcommodity is an Indigenous interdisciplinary collective with Raven Chacon, Cristóbal Martínez, Kade L. Twist & Nathan Young. The group works to advance Indigenous cultural self-determination & decolonization within a global climate of instability, ethnocentric violence & neoliberalism. Exhibiting work at art museums & institutions internationally, in 2011, they will be in residence at the Santa Fe Art Institute & exhibit at the Contour 2011, 5th Biennial of Sound & Moving Image, & Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Museum.

Suitable for all ages

Thank you to:
imagineNATIVE and Cheryl L'hirondelle