Project Description:
Every place in the world has a "soundscape" which is composed of the sounds made by wildlife (biophony), sounds created in the natural world other than animals (geophony), and sounds generated by people (anthrophony). By learning to listen more carefully, and by understanding new ways to think about sound, each of us can become more appreciative of our natural and created world. For the creative mind, soundscapes can become a "muse" for our art and music, enhancing every story we tell. And all of us can become more careful about the kind and qualities of the sounds that we produce every day... giving voice to nature through our own silences, or by filling the world with music, song and the spoken word, rather than with noise. Visitors enter the Soundscapes and Spirit space containing windows on each of three walls which provide examples of biophony, geophony, and anthrophony which reflect the soundscape of Silicon Valley. By walking through the light cast by each window, the visitor will trigger various sounds in each category, creating a unique soundscape as the sounds merge. On one side of the exhibit, through the example of the cougar, which still roams the hills surrounding the city, the display also helps us comprehend how animals rely upon and create both sounds and silence. And on the opposite side of the exhibit, visitors have the opportunity to assess their own aural footprint, how the noise we make affects the soundscapes of everyone around us. We explore the concept of noise, which many people tend to believe is an objective ruler for daily experience, but which is truly an entirely subjective adjective. Noise is only noise because you find it objectionable. Noise is the element that is "unwanted" in any aesthetic -- artistic or creative or experiential -- environment. And therefore, noise is an essential consideration in any art.

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