Electricity as Sound: Christina Kubisch

Weekend America had a story about Christina Kubisch. She's a "sound artist" that uses magnetic induction to make the interaction of electrical fields into audible sounds (using special headphones). She develops exhibits she calls electrical walks by mapping the hotspots of cities, and handing out maps and special headphones; one commentator described it as seeing in infrared, only for your ears. It's surprising to me how these sounds, unlike more usual sounds, aren't made by shapes (there's no string or hammer or membrane or key), but still sound like shapes: the neon sign sounds like a tightly looped rubber band, taut and round. It's a cool idea--I wish she'd do Boston.

The NPR piece is here.

tags: [Music], [NPR], [sound art], [Christina Kubisch]