TY - CONF

T1 - The Life Inertia – Vibration, Sound Sculpture and Transhumanism in the Technological Reliquaries

AU - Finchett-Maddock, Lucy

PY - 2020/12/3

Y1 - 2020/12/3

N2 - This article focuses on the series of works entitled ‘Technological Reliquaries’ by Paul Thek made between (1964-67), and their propensity as (un)sound sculptures. I would like to introduce the notion of Thek’s work being a concern of vibration, and thus a series of sound (or unsound) sculptures. Following from the themes of morbidity, inertness and life itself that are embodied within the Technological Reliquaries, I would like to extend this understanding to one of speculative resonance. Vibration, energy and electromagnetism are discussed in relation to entropic processes of change that determine the meat pieces as sound works first and foremost; or as AUDINT collective have argued, that of ‘unsound’. Sound sculptures have historically been understood in relation to the development of performative and time-based installations in Western art. Thek’s Reliquaries are an extension of this, where their unsound is projected through their dilapidating, vibrational forms. The specifically transhuman nature of these works relates to the morphology of humans with technology and the fluidity of one to the other, where the processes of entropic vibration are the only thing that separates (and connects) the two. Transhumanism and sound sculpture are argued as one and the same through their processes of morphological change, entropy, and concern for a speculative electromagnetism.

AB - This article focuses on the series of works entitled ‘Technological Reliquaries’ by Paul Thek made between (1964-67), and their propensity as (un)sound sculptures. I would like to introduce the notion of Thek’s work being a concern of vibration, and thus a series of sound (or unsound) sculptures. Following from the themes of morbidity, inertness and life itself that are embodied within the Technological Reliquaries, I would like to extend this understanding to one of speculative resonance. Vibration, energy and electromagnetism are discussed in relation to entropic processes of change that determine the meat pieces as sound works first and foremost; or as AUDINT collective have argued, that of ‘unsound’. Sound sculptures have historically been understood in relation to the development of performative and time-based installations in Western art. Thek’s Reliquaries are an extension of this, where their unsound is projected through their dilapidating, vibrational forms. The specifically transhuman nature of these works relates to the morphology of humans with technology and the fluidity of one to the other, where the processes of entropic vibration are the only thing that separates (and connects) the two. Transhumanism and sound sculpture are argued as one and the same through their processes of morphological change, entropy, and concern for a speculative electromagnetism.

KW - Sound

M3 - Paper

ER -