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CreativeResponse-ANewLookatArchiving:TheRoleArtistsPlayinDevelopingCreativeResponsefromField
RecordingsofEthnographicResearch
DianaA.Chester
Adissertationsubmittedinpartialfulfillment
oftherequirementsofthedegreeof
DoctorofPhilosophy
inDigitalMedia–FacultyofEngineering,UniversityofPorto
Dr.RuiPenha
December2016
ii
Copyright©2016byDianaChester
iii
I. Abstract
InthisworkIquerytraditionalethnographicapproachestothe
preservationofheritageandculturewherebyanethnographerentersa
communitytocarryoutresearch,thusrunningtheriskoffolklorizingparticular
culturalpractices.Academicdocumentationofacommunity,whileofcourse
valuable,maytendtoisolatecertainpractices,freezearchivaldocumentationin
time,andmissthenaturalandvitalevolutionofheritagethatchanges
organicallyovertime.Iarguethatinsteadofenteringacommunitysolelyasan
“expert”intentoncollectingandrecordingdata,ethnographersshouldalso
considerthevalueofobservinghowatargetcommunity,increativedialogue
withtheethnographer,choosestoengagewithculturalmaterialandpracticesin
acontemporaryanddynamicway.
Thus,theresearchandmaterialofculturalheritagegatheredforan
archiveincludesnotonlytraditionaldocumentationofculturalpracticesbutalso
thewaythecommunitychoosestorepresenttheirpracticestothoseoutsidethe
community,throughtheprocessofcreativeresponse.Inthisway,
ethnographersandartistscanworkwithtargetcommunitiestocreateatypeof
preservationthatacknowledgesnuanceddetailsofthecommunity,their
interactions,intergenerationaldynamics,andtheimpactoftheevolutionofthe
communityinthecontextofthechanginglandscapeandclimateoftheworld
aroundit.Thisapproachtoethnographicresearchanddocumentationmoves
awayfromtraditionalobservation-basedpreservationandtowardanapproach
thatengagesacommunityintheirownpreservation.
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SpecificallyIaminterestedintheemergingareaofdigitalmediastudies,
andtherelationshipbetweensoundstudies,archiving,anddigitalethnography.
Iexploretheseparationbetweenpracticeandtheoryintheacademy,and
proposeaparadigmthatpresumesthereisabenefitfromunifyingthesetwo
areas.Throughtheexplorationofnewapproachestoarchivingrootedin
emergingformsofcommunicationandexpressionthroughdigitalmedia—a
practicecriticaltoscholarlyresearch—Iconsiderthevalueofincludinginthe
archiveacreativehumanresponsetoculturalheritage,whichisrootedinthe
transformationofculturalartifactsandmaterials.Finally,Idiscusswaysin
whichcreativeresponsecanbuilduponandcontributetoadiscourseindigital
mediastudies—aframeworkthatattemptstomediatetheintersectionalityof
ethnographyandsoundstudieswhileconsideringthepossiblecontributionsto
thearchive,activism,andcollaborationthatstemfromthishybridresearch.
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II. Resumo
Estetrabalhoquestionaatradicionalabordagemetnográficanasua
missãodepreservaçãodopatrimóniocultural,emparticularquantoaopapeldo
etnógrafo,dasuarelaçãocomacomunidadequeestudaeoriscodefolclorização
dealgumaspráticasculturais.Oformatoacadémicotradicionaldedocumentação
daspráticasculturaisdeumacomunidadepode,nãoobstanteoseuvalor,tender
aisolarestaspráticasnumperíodolimitadodetempo,cristalizando-ase
perdendoocontactocomasuanaturalevoluçãoaolongodotempo.Propomos
queaobservaçãodomodocomoumacomunidadeescolheinteragircom
materiaisepráticasculturaisdeumaformadinâmicaeemdiálogocriativocomo
etnógrafopoderáacrescentarvaloraomaterialrecolhidofaceàsimplesentrada
destenacomunidadecomoumespecialistainteressadoemrecolhere
interpretardados.
Destemodo,apesquisaeosdadosdopatrimónioculturalreunidosparao
arquivoincluemnãoapenasadocumentaçãotradicionaldepráticasculturais,
mastambémaformacomoacomunidadeescolherepresentarassuaspráticas
paraalguémdeforadacomunidade,atravésdoquechamamosdeprocessode
respostacriativa.Osetnógrafoseartistaspodemassimtrabalharcomas
comunidades-alvoparacriarumtipodepreservaçãoqueincluidetalhessobrea
comunidade,assuasinterações,adinâmicaintergeracionaleoimpactoda
evoluçãodocontextoeclimaemtornodacomunidade.Estaabordagemà
pesquisaedocumentaçãoetnográficaafasta-se,então,daobservaçãoerecolha
tradicionaisemdireçãoaumaabordagemqueenvolveacomunidadena
preservaçãodassuasprópriaspráticas.
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Estetrabalhoinsere-senaáreaemergentedosestudossobremedia
digitais,emparticularnarelaçãoentreasáreasdosestudossonoros,dos
arquivosedaetnografiadigital.Éexploradaaseparaçãoentreteoriaepráticana
academiaepropostoumparadigmaqueilustraobenefícionasuaunificação.
Atravésdaexploraçãodeumanovaabordagemaoarquivo,baseadaemformas
emergentesdecomunicaçãoeexpressãousandomediadigitais,éanalisadoo
valordeincluirnoarquivodeumapráticaculturalarespostacriativahumanaa
essaprática,fundadanatransformaçãodosmateriaiseartefactosculturais.Por
fim,édiscutidaaformacomoarespostacriativaserelacionaecontribuiparaos
estudossobremediadigitais,comoumapráticaquemedeiaainterseçãoentre
etnografiaeosestudossonoros,aomesmotempoemquepretendecontribuir
paraoarquivo,oativismoeacolaboraçãoqueemergemdestecampode
investigaçãohíbrido.
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III. Acknowledgments
Iwishtothankthosewhohavesupportedandencouragedmethroughout
thisproject.Imuststartwithaspecialthankyoutomyadviser,Dr.RuiPenha
forhiskindness,insight,inspiration,andhumanguidancethroughthisprocess.
Ruitookmeonasalong-distanceadvisee,whichinitselfischallenging,andhas
beenamotivationalspiritthroughoutthisprocess.Itisbecauseofhisapproach
tomentorshipthatIhavebeenabletoremainpositivethroughoutthisprocess.
Thisresearchandresultingdissertationwouldnothavebeenpossible
withoutcollaborationswiththecommunitiesinwhichIhaveconducted
research.IwouldliketothankDhanarajKeezharaandhiswife,NishaRaj,for
theirkindness,support,andwonderfulcreativespiritsascollaboratorsonthe
Theyyamexhibitionandresearch.IwouldalsoliketothankDr.Michele
BamblingforaskingmetoparticipateintheLestWeForgetProjectandforher
unendingcollaborativespiritandgenerosity.Itisbecauseofhersupportand
encouragementthatIwasabletopartnerwithLestWeForget,workwitha
groupofamazingEmiratigirls,andconductresearchontheproject.Iwouldalso
liketorecognizethenumerouscommunitiesandindividualcollaboratorsaround
theworldwhohelpedcontributetothesoundmapproject,thoughtheyaretoo
manytonameheretheirwillingnesstorecordsoundsintheircommunitieshas
grownthisprojectinabeautifulway.
IwouldliketoacknowledgeallofmyProfessorsatFEUP,aswellasDr.
CarlosGuedes,ScottFitzgerald,andDr.IlanaWebster-Kogenfortheiracademic
support,withoutwhichIwouldnothavebeenabletocompletemycoursework
inatimelyfashion.
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IalsowanttoacknowledgeMarisaSilvaforhelpingtoushermethrough
andnavigatethesystemsandprocessesatFEUP,withoutwhichIwouldhave
beenlost,anddefaultedonmanypayments.
Iamparticularlyappreciativetothemembersofmyvivajurywhotookthe
timetoreadthroughmydissertation.ThisincludesDr.RuiPenha,Dr.António
Coelho,Dr.SarahWeiss,Dr.LindaO’Keeffe,andDr.HelenaRodrigues.Without
theirexpertiseandguidanceIwouldnothavetherareopportunitytodiscussmy
researchandfindingswithsuchadynamicgroupofexperts.
IwouldliketothankStephanieHopkinsandAnneCherryfortheir
invaluablefeedback,guidance,andeditingofmywork.
Mygreatestgratitudegoestomyfriendsandfamilyfortheirdailysupport.
SpecificallyIwouldliketothankcolleaguesandfriendsinAbuDhabiincluding
MaggieBavusowhoremindedmedailyoftheimportanceofcompletingthis
projectwhilecookingmedeliciousdinnersoften.Iwouldalsoliketorecognize
XeniaMarkowitt,Dr.MarionWrenn,Dr.MartinDaughtry,Dr.KatWilliams,and
Dr.KenNielson,whoseencouragementandexpertiseonhowtogetthroughthe
writingofadissertationeasedthepsychologicalintensityoftheprocess.
Iwanttothankmyfamily,CherylChester,MichaelChester,JaredChester,
DonaldFischer,MarieCanzoneri,andEmilyChesterfortheirloveandsupport.
AndImustacknowledgeDr.HeidiStalla,forherendlesscollaborative
spirit,motivation,kindnessandpartnership,throughouttheprocessof
envisioningandwritingthisdissertation.ItisbecauseofherthatIbelievedI
couldtacklesuchaprojectinthefirstplace.
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ThekeymethodologicalfactorinAnthonyDunne’sworkiswhatheterms‘prafunctionality,’orusingtheprocessofinventionasamodeofdiscourse.
(Dunne,2006)
TableofContents
I. Abstract..............................................................................................................................iiiII. Resumo.................................................................................................................................v
III.Acknowledgments..........................................................................................................vii
IV.ContentsoftheCD-ROM.............................................................................................xiiiV. ImageIndex..................................................................................................................xviii
VI.NotesonTerminology...................................................................................................xx1 Introduction........................................................................................................................1
1.1SectionOne:Introduction..............................................................................................21.1.1Approach................................................................................................................................21.1.2Motivation..............................................................................................................................61.1.3StatementoftheProblem................................................................................................81.1.4Goals......................................................................................................................................101.1.5CommentsonMyArtisticProcess............................................................................101.1.6OverviewoftheDissertation......................................................................................13
2 LiteratureReview..........................................................................................................16
2.1SectionOne:TheArchive............................................................................................172.1.1TheArchive.........................................................................................................................172.1.2ArtistsandtheArchive..................................................................................................212.1.3Activism................................................................................................................................29
2.2SectionTwo:DigitalMediaStudies.........................................................................342.2.1DigitalMediaArchiving.................................................................................................342.2.2SoundStudies....................................................................................................................362.2.3SoundArt.............................................................................................................................482.2.4ArtsResearch.....................................................................................................................57
2.3SectionThree:EthnographicResearch.................................................................632.3.1Ethnography.......................................................................................................................632.3.2DigitalEthnography........................................................................................................672.3.3Ethnomusicology..............................................................................................................722.3.4AppliedEthnomusicology............................................................................................75
3 Theyyam...........................................................................................................................79
3.1SectionOne:Introduction...........................................................................................803.1.1Introduction.......................................................................................................................80
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3.1.2 MyArtisticCollaborator............................................................................................803.1.3 Keezhara,India..............................................................................................................843.1.4 TheTheyyamFestival................................................................................................873.1.5 EmbodimentandCasteMarginalization............................................................92
3.2SectionTwo:MyPersonalJourney..........................................................................953.2.1TheStoryofMyJourney................................................................................................953.2.2 Keezhara’sGeography..............................................................................................1033.2.3 StructureoftheFestivalandImportantEvents............................................1033.2.4 PressCoverage............................................................................................................1173.2.5 RelevantImagesandSounds................................................................................118
3.3SectionThree:TheExhibition.................................................................................1233.3.1 EverydayLife:ARepertoireofRitualandPerformance...........................1233.3.2 CollectingMaterialsandFieldRecordings......................................................1263.3.3 TheCreativeProcess:DesigningtheSoundscape........................................1293.3.4 ListeningtotheComposition................................................................................1323.3.5 TheExhibitionOpeningCeremony....................................................................1363.3.6 ResponsestotheExhibit.........................................................................................138
3.4SectionFour:ChallengesandLimitations...........................................................1413.4.1 MyRoleasanObserverandCreativeResponder........................................1413.4.2 Limitations....................................................................................................................149
3.5SectionFive:Conclusion............................................................................................1503.5.1 Time,Place,andInfiniteConvergences............................................................150
4. LestWeForget..............................................................................................................157
4.1SectionOne:AnIntroduction..................................................................................1584.1.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................158
4.2SectionTwo:Context..................................................................................................1594.2.1 AbuDhabiandtheUAE...........................................................................................1594.2.2 MicheleBamblingandtheZayedUniversityStudents..............................1614.2.3 HowIBecameInvolvedwithLestWeForget................................................1654.2.4 LWFBeforeIBecameInvolved............................................................................1664.2.5 TheWarehouse421Exhibition...........................................................................170
4.3SectionThree:OriginalContributions.................................................................1734.3.1. TheWorkshops..........................................................................................................1734.3.2 CritiqueSessions........................................................................................................1764.3.3 DigitalMediaArchivingTools...............................................................................1824.3.4 ExhibitionTechnology.............................................................................................1834.3.5 AdditionalContributions........................................................................................185
4.4SectionFour:Discussion...........................................................................................187
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4.4.1 CrowdsourcingCulturalHeritage.......................................................................1874.4.2 GenderandRepresentation...................................................................................1914.4.3 LanguageandRepresentation..............................................................................1934.4.4 Censorship.....................................................................................................................1954.4.5 CreativeResponseandtheLivingArchive......................................................1984.4.6 EthicalResponsibilityandCollaboration........................................................200
4.5SectionFive:Conclusion............................................................................................2024.5.1 Activism..........................................................................................................................2024.5.2 TheArchive...................................................................................................................2034.5.3 PreservingCulturalPracticesandTraditions................................................205
5 SonicStoryboarding:TheCalltoPrayer..............................................................207
5.1SectionOne:Introduction.........................................................................................2085.1.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................2085.1.2 TheHistoryoftheAdhan........................................................................................2105.1.3 TheStoryBehindtheSonicStoryboardProject...........................................213
5.2SectionTwo:StorytellingPlaceandSpace..........................................................2155.2.1 TheStoryBehindtheSonicStoryboardProject...........................................2155.2.2 SoundMapping...........................................................................................................2165.2.3 CollaboratingwithCommunitiesAroundtheWorld..................................2195.2.4 EthicalConsiderations.............................................................................................220
5.3SectionThree:TheExhibition................................................................................2265.3.1 TheExhibition.............................................................................................................2265.3.2 Technology....................................................................................................................2285.3.3 AmbisonicRecording...............................................................................................2305.3.4 ArduinoandMax/MSP.............................................................................................2325.3.5 Interactivity,Reactivity,andParticipation.....................................................2335.3.6 Analytics.........................................................................................................................2365.3.7 Limitations....................................................................................................................243
5.4SectionFour:Conclusion...........................................................................................2465.4.1 Conclusion.....................................................................................................................246
6 Discussion......................................................................................................................251
6.1SectionOne:Introduction.........................................................................................2526.1.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................2526.1.2 IntergenerationalArchiveBuilding....................................................................2546.1.3 EthicalConsiderationsfortheOutsider-Insider...........................................2566.1.4 Listening.........................................................................................................................2586.1.5 CreativeResponseThroughHumanMediation............................................261
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6.1.6 CreativeResponseThroughTechnologicalMediation..............................2656.1.7 Conclusion.....................................................................................................................267
7 Conclusion:CreativeResponse...............................................................................272
7.1SectionOne:Conclusion............................................................................................2737.1.1 Summary........................................................................................................................2737.1.2 ImportantFindings....................................................................................................2747.1.3 OriginalContributionthroughthisThesis......................................................2817.1.4 FutureWork.................................................................................................................285
VII.References......................................................................................................................289AppendixA:RelatedPublications......................................................................................298AppendixB:TheyyamFestivalFieldNotes...................................................................299AppendixC:LestWeForgetWorkshopCurriculum..................................................312
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IV. ContentsoftheCD-ROM
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V. ImageIndex
Chapter3:TheyyamImage3.1 Page85 MapofIndiaImage3.2 Page86 MapofKeralaImage3.3 Page86 MapofKeezharaImage3.4 Page98 Dhanaraj’sChildhoodhomeinKeezharaImage3.5 Page98 TheroomwhereIstayedatDhanaraj’smother’shomeImage3.6 Page98 Thelivingroom/diningroomImage3.7 Page98 NishainthekitchenpreparingfoodImage3.8 Page103 SketchofKeezharaImage3.9 Page108 AburningbundleduringthefirstnightoftheTheyyamparadeImage3.10 Page112 TheBhagavathyTempleandassociatedgroundsImage3.11 Page112 ThottamperformanceImage3.12 Page114 MusiciansandeldersduringThottamImage3.13 Page115 ThottamritualImage3.14 Page115 CheenikkuzhalanddrummingduringeveningTheyyamImage3.15 Page117 ArticleinMalyalampaperonmyresearchinKeezharaImage3.16 Page120 Fireworksilluminatetheskyduringthefirstnightofthefestival.Image3.17 Page122 TempleMinderssmashingacoconutafterdailyThottamImage3.18 Page122 Theyyamartistpaintsthefaceofanotherartistinpreparationfor
performance.Image3.19 Page122 AlargepileofcoconutssitsinfrontoftwoTheyyamasanoffering.Image3.20 Page123 BasketindressingroomwithTheyyamcostumeitemsImage3.21 Page123 TheyyamperformerputtingonankleandfootjewelryImage3.22 Page126 PaintingbyDhanarajKeezharaImage3.23 Page126 MixedmediapiecebyDhanarajKeezharaImage3.24 Page132 TheexhibitionatIMAHallinKannurImage3.25 Page132 VisitorstotheexhibitionImage3.26 Page132 ComputerandsoundcardrunningProToolsforexhibitionImage3.27 Page132 VisitorlisteningcloselytospeakerImage3.28 Page137 ThecoconutpalmstructurebuiltbyTheyyamperformersforthe
openingceremonyoftheexhibitionImage3.29 Page138 TheTheyyamceremonyattheexhibitionopeningatIMAHallin
Kannur
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Chapter4:LestWeForget
Image4.1 Page165 ArtisticresponsescreatedbystudentstophotographstakenofthemselvesduringthedevelopmentoftheZayedUniversityexhibit
Image4.2 Page170 TheintroductionwalltotheWarehouse421exhibitionofLestWeForget
Image4.3 Page171 Page254oftheLestWeForgetbookImage4.4 Page172 Page298oftheLestWeForgetbookImage4.5 Page174 82photographsonthephototableintheLWF
ExhibitionatWarehouse421Image4.6 Page178 PhotosofsoundworkshopswithLWFinternsImage4.7 Page178 PhotosofsoundworkshopswithLWFinternsImage4.8 Page178 PhotosofsoundworkshopswithLWFinternsImage4.9 Page180 FamilyphotoofEmiratiboyinuniformImage4.10 Page181 FamilyphotoofEmiratiboywithairconditionerImage4.11
Page184 Log-inscreenofLestWeForgetExhibitionmobileapp
Image4.12 Page184 Photo#374writtenstoryandaudioonmobileappImage4.13 Page185 OldtelevisionondisplayingalleryatWarehouse421
Chapter5:SonicStoryboard
Image5.1 Page227 PingultrasonicsensorsandphotographsImage5.2 Page228 GalleryspacewithexposedcablingImage5.3 Page229 ScreenshotoftheMaxPatchfortheexhibitImage5.4 Page238 Mapshowingwherethesoundmapwebsitewas
accessedfrombetweenAugust18,2014,andDecember18,2015
Image5.5 Page240 MapshowingcountriesfromwhereusersaccessedtheprojectspagebetweenAugust18,2014,andDecember18,2015
Image5.6 Page241 MapshowingmomentsofinteractionwiththewebsitewhenusersaccessedtheprojectspagebetweenAugust18,2015,andDecember18,2015.
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VI. NotesonTerminology
ForthepurposesofthisdissertationIwillrefertothesoundfield
recordingsIhavecollectedthroughmyresearchasrecordingsoftraditional
sounds.Thelanguageoftraditionalsoundsisadaptedfromthe
ethnomusicologicalcategorizationoftraditionalmusic,whichisdistinctiveand
separatefromthedesignationsofbothfolkloremusicandworldmusic.As
LaurentAubertstates,“Numerouspeopleagreethattraditionalmusicgenresare
expressionsofidentitydistinctfromthe‘derivativeproducts,’whichare,for
example,theso-calledfolkloremusicorthosebelongingtothepresentworld
musicmovement”(Laurent,2007,p.16).Ihavechosentheterminology
“traditionalsounds”asanintentionaloffshootofthecategorizationoftraditional
music,inanattempttonameandconnecttwoimportantcharacteristicsofthe
resultingsoundsthatIwillbeusinginthedevelopmentofcreativework.First,I
amattemptingtoproperlycategorizethesoundsIhaverecordedandbelieve
theyarebestexplainedastraditionalmusic;however,inordertoremain
sensitivetoculturalvalueswithinthesetraditions,inparticularnotreferringto
theAdhan,thecalltoprayer,asmusical,Iwillrefertotheserecordingsas
traditionalsounds.Second,Irecognizeandwanttohonorthatthereare
commoncomponentsoftraditionalmusic,includingform,content,meansof
production,listeningconditions,socialandculturalcontext,andvalues,thatmay
becompromisedorchangedintheprocessofrecordingandartisticcreation
(During,1994).ForthisreasonIwillrefertotherecordingscapturedinthefield
asthoseoftraditionalsounds,andnottraditionalmusic,whileacknowledging
xxi
thatthetraditionalsoundsrecordedareinfactoftraditionalmusic,asper
Aubert’sdescription:
Ingeneral,musicfromthetraditionalrealm–anditisthesameforall
arts–isofremoteoriginandreliesondirect,essentiallyoral
transmissionofitsforms,techniquesandrepertoire.Thistransmission
canvaryconsiderablyinitsmethods,butisinitselftheguarantorof
authenticity,thelinkinanuninterruptedchainjoiningmastersand
disciplesthroughtime.Everyartistadaptsthereceivedinheritance,
developingandcalorizingitaccordingtopersonaltasteandcurrentstyle.
Notbeingasimpleimitator,theartististhelivingincarnationsof
tradition,aswellastitsdepositoryandguarantor.Theartistalsohasthe
dutytotransmitasmuchofitaspossible,toteachthefollowing
generation,includinghisorherownpersonalcontributions.(Laurent,
2007,p.19)
1
1 Introduction
2
1.IntroductionIwouldarguethatitistheartist’sunderstandingofthepotentialvalueof
“becomingness”throughculturalcapitalthatappliestothepresentmomenttoo.AshasbeenstatedbyDerrida,the‘vision’toseewhatneedstobearchivedisnowtheworkoftheartist/s:toanticipatethearchiveitself”(White,2013,p.55).
1.1 SectionOne:Introduction
1.1.1Approach
Istartwiththeassumptionthatanyexplorationofselfintheworldis
connectedtotheexplorationofthehumancondition;thatanindividual’s
personalexperiencecannotbeseenasisolatedfromcollectiveoruniversal
experience.Usingtheemotionalselftoexpressidentity,especiallyinrelationto
aspectsofmaterialculture,leadstoaprocessoflearningthatallowsfor
profoundintersubjectiveconnectionswiththeexperiencesofothers;inshort,
personalinteractionsareessentialtocomplexunderstandingsoftheworldat
large.
Currentlywehavecertainstandardsthatgovernethnographicresearch,
whichhelptoguidethewayacademicsinteractandengagewithcommunities,
cultures,andpeoplewhomtheyareresearching.Traditionally,theroleof
ethnographer,asIdiscussinthesecondchapter,hasbeenunderstoodasone
whoobserves,describes,anddocumentsculturalpracticesandartifactsfor
purposesofpreservation.Fieldworkistheobservationalcomponentof
ethnographicresearch,whichrequirestheresearchertomaintainextreme
objectivityinregardstothecommunitytheyareresearching,inordertoensure
theirobservationsanddocumentationareunbiased.(BarzandCooley,2008)
3
Someethnographershaveattemptedtoredefinetraditionalethnographic
standardstoencompasspartialsubjectivityoftheresearcher(Pinketal.,2016).
Oftenwhenacademicethnographersresearchacommunity,theybringto
theirresearchasenseofexpertiseandcloutgrantedthembytheacademy.The
artifactstheycollectandpreserveareoftenacombinationofwritten
observations,photographs,interviews,andartifacts.Theirwritten
documentationbecomesafolklorizationofacommunityoraculturalpractice.
Thisfolklorizationcomesaboutwhenanethnographersnotesand
documentationareseenastheexpertrepresentation,whichthentendstofreeze
thearchivaldocumentationofthatcommunityinthatwrittenobservation.One
outcomeoffolklorizationisastagnantvieworportrayalofacommunityor
traditionatthemomentofdocumentation,intheparticularwaythemomentis
captured.Thissnapshotbecomestheunderstandingofthecommunityor
tradition,unfortunatelyignoringtheevolutionofthecommunityovertime.
Thechallengeinherentinthistraditionalethnographicapproachisthat
trueobjectivityisarguablynotachievable.Thequestionis,canwetrulybe
objectiveaboutanything?Ourunderstandingoftheworldaroundisfiltered
throughourpersonallensandexperience.Inordertoaddressthisproblemin
ethnographicresearch,thisdissertationbuildsonthecurrentstandardsin
ethnographicpractice,whileoperatingundertheassumptionthataresearcher
cannothaveobjectiveviews.Byassumingthatobjectivityisnotachievableand
admittingthatyouaresubjective,onesolvesmuchoftheproblemofnotbeing
abletobeobjective.Conductingethnographicresearchfromasubjective
perspective—arguablyonethatallethnographershavehistoricallyfunctioned
fromifobjectivityisnotpossible—allowstheresearchertheabilitytointeract
4
withthecommunityinwaysthattraditionalethnographicstandardshavenot
supported.
Byengagingwiththecommunityandcedingopportunityforengagementto
thecommunity,theethnographerisnolongerfolklorizingorarchivingtheir
ethnographicresearch,rathertheyarecreatingatypeofpreservationthat
allowsfornuanceddetailsofthecommunity,theirinteractions,inter-
generationaldynamics,andtheimpactoftheevolutionofthecommunityinthe
contextofthechanginglandscapeandclimateoftheworldaroundit.This
approachtoethnographicresearchanddocumentationmovesawayfrom
traditionalobservation-basedpreservationandtowardanapproachthat
engagesacommunityintheirownpreservation.
AsIelaborateuponinChapter2,TheLiteratureReview,HarrisBergeris
notedwithdefining“ExpressiveCulture”inhisbookStance:IdeasaboutEmotion,
Style,andMeaningfortheStudyofExpressiveCulture,torefertoanytypeof
socialbehaviorwithanaestheticdimension.WhenIdiscussthecultural
traditionsandperformancesIcapturethroughfieldrecording,Iwillreferto
“sensitiveexpressiveculture”associalbehaviorwithanaestheticdimensionthat
isuniquelyattachedtoaparticularculturalheritagethatcanbecarelessly
appropriatedbyanoutsider.
Ibeganmyresearchbylookingatcreativeresponsestomaterialofsensitive
expressiveculturethatIhadcreated,eitherbymyselforcollaboratively,inthree
differentcasestudies.Ifirstappliedanethnographiclenstohelpmerecordand
documenttheculturalmaterial,suchastheTheyyamfestivalinIndia,and
positionmyselfasan“observer.”Ifocusedparticularlyonsound,outofthebelief
thatsoundgivesusaccesstoculturalandoraltraditionsandheritage,aswellas
5
theabilityforpeopletocurrentlyreflectonthatheritage.Soundisalsothe
compositionalmediumIchosetouseacrossallthreecasestudies.Inthecaseof
theTheyyamfestival,Icollaboratedwithavisualartisttocreateacreative
responsetothefestivalintheformofanexhibitthatmergedhisvisualartwith
mysoundscape,asanattempttocallattentiontocastehierarchiespresent
withinthefestival/culture.IntheLestWeForgetcasestudy,Iworkedwitha
vernacularphotographycollectionteamtocollect,document,andfacilitate
communitymember’screativeresponsetostoriesandoraltradition,toward
developinganarchiveoftheEmiraticommunity,andtosupporttheopeningof
anexhibitiononEmiraticulturalheritage.IntheSonicStoryboardproject,I
collectedrecordingsofthecalltoprayerfrommosquesaroundtheworld,and
createdawebbasedrepositoryfortheseadhans,aswellasdevelopedan
interactivesoundinstallation,positioningvisitorsasaugmentersoftheadhan,as
awayoflookingmorecloselyatIslamophobiathroughthenuanceoftheadhan.
Forthepurposesofthisdissertation,Ilookedbackateachoftheseinstances
ofcreativeresponseandasked,ineachcase:Whatdidthecreativeresponses
contributetothepreservationandsustainabilityofculturalheritage?Whatwere
someofthelimitationsandchallengesofusingcreativeresponse?Andfinally,
whatlarger“lessons”abouttherolecreativeresponsemightplayinthefutureof
archives,canIdrawfromthesecasestudies?
Myresearchexploreshowthedisciplinesofdigitalmedia,ethnographic
practice,andthearchivescanjoinalargerconversationaboutsustainingcultural
heritageforposterity.Iidentifywaysthatartworkdevelopedthroughcreative
responsetodocumentationofculturaltraditioncancaptureimportanttemporal
momentsinthecontextofthesociopoliticalframeworksinwhichtheyexist.The
6
fieldsofdigitalmedia,ethnography,andarchivalstudiescanworktogetherto
notonlypreservecertainaspectsofculturalheritage,butalsotosolidify
importantaspectsofaparticularsocietyandmakethemrelevantinthepresent
day.
Identifyinghowtotransformortranslateform,orreshapingtheformal
propertiesofcultureandheritageforgreaterunderstandingcanbeabasisfor
changingthewayweunderstandthingsthatareunknown.Exploringanew
culture,transformingmaterialfromthatculture,andpreservingtheresultofthis
explorationandtransformation(throughtheprogressivemediumsof
ethnography,artspractice,andarchiving)allowfornewandessentialmarkers
ofunderstanding.
1.1.2Motivation
Bywayofintroductiontothiswork,Ifeelitwillbehelpfultogivereaders
somebriefcontextualinformationaboutmymultidisciplinarybackground,my
experienceslivingindiversecultures,andthereasonsbehindmychoiceto
pursuedigitalmediaasthemediumofmyresearchandpractice.Myearly
trainingintheartsincludedmusic,photography,andtechnicaltheater.In
collegeandgraduateschool,Ioptedtousephotographyasamediumtoexplore
andanalyzekeyquestionsandideasthatinformedmyacademicresearch
includingaprojectthatexploredgenderidentitythroughwomen’scollegesin
theUS,andaprojectthatlookedatthesociologicalimplicationsofgender
socializationinschoolingenvironmentsinIndia.TheonlyruleIsetformyself
whenitcametomyprogressionthroughthestagesofhighereducationwasthat
eachnextstephadtoallowmetocontinuetoexpresscreativity.
7
WhenIfinishedmymaster’sdegree,myfocusturnedtowardcreating
artworkinresponsetotheheritageofparticularcommunities.InDecember
2005,ImovedtoIndiaandconductedqualitativeresearchwithinasociological
theoreticalframeworkofteachersatBanasthaliVidyapith,theschoolinrural
WesternRajasthanwhereItaughtforonemonth.Theresearchconsidered
gendersocializationamongelementaryschoolagedchildrenandamongwomen
doingtheirBAandBSdegrees,aswellasthebehaviorandassumptionsof
graduatestudentsintheM.Edprogramstudyingtobeteachers.Ichoseto
expressthefindingsoftheresearchintheformofaphotographicexhibition.
Shortlythereafter,myacademicinterestsinreligiousstudiesmergedwithmy
artisticpracticethroughfieldrecordings.Imaderecordingsofdifferent
religiousfestivalsandrecitationsasawayofparsinginclinationsIhadaboutthe
sonicandmusicalrelationshipsbetweenvaryingreligioustraditions.Forthe
nextfewyearsIwouldcontinuetoexploreandcomparethesoundrecordingsof
variousfestivalsandmusicalreligioustraditionsthroughtheuseofrecording
toolsandsoftwareinnovations.
In2010,afterImovedtotheMiddleEast,myvisitstoIndiabecamemore
frequentduetoeasyaccessandproximity,andmypracticeofrecordingreligious
festivalscontinuedinIndiaandbeganintheUnitedArabEmirates,whereIlived.
Mycreativeandresearchinterestsfurtherexpandedtoincludeethnographic
practice,madepossiblebymysustainedinvolvementincommunitiesinboth
IndiaandtheMiddleEast.Mysonicfascinationwithreligioustraditionwas
quicklypiquedbythecalltoprayerthatwasnowapartofmydailysoundscape.
Thisbeganacurrentlyfive-year-long,ongoingproject,inwhichIrecordthe
adhan(calltoprayer)frommosquesaroundtheworld.
8
Myartworkandscholarlyresearcharenowsolidlyfusedasapracticethat
reliesonethnographicresearchofreligioustraditions,soundstudiestechniques
forrecordingandcomposition,andarchivalconsiderationsfortheoutcomesof
thishybridwork.Mymultidisciplinaryapproachtomakingartandconducting
researchmanagestostaytruetothepromisemadebymyyoungerself;thateach
newstepshouldallowmetocontinuetoexpresscreativity.
1.1.3StatementoftheProblem
Myworkhighlightsandrespondstoanumberofchallengesthatareconnected
tothefollowingessentialquestions.
• Recognizingthatartistswhousesensitiveexpressivematerialfrom
culturesotherthantheirown,needtodealwithacceptanceissuesboth
withintheirownculturesoforiginaswellastheculturesfromwhich
sensitiveexpressivematerialisbeingborrowed,wemustask:Howandto
whatextentcansuchanartist,playaroleinthearchivalpreservationand
sustainabilityofculturalheritageandtradition?
• Whatisitthattheparticipantobservercanwitnessandcontributefroma
vantagepointthatisneitherfullyinsideaculturenorentirelyatan
“objective”distancefromit?
• Howcanwemakeanarchiveliving?
9
• Whatisthevalueofengagingpeopleinartisticresponseaboutcultural
artifactsfromtheirowncommunityandwhyshouldartisticcreation
mattertothearchive?
Asanexplanatorynotetosomeoftheabove,Iusemyownartisticpractice
inthisdissertation,creatingworkfromfieldrecordingsIhavemadeofsensitive
expressiveculture,alongwithcollaborationsIhavehadwithartistsand
membersofdifferentcommunitieshighlightedinmyresearch,toexplorethis
essentialquestionfromtheperspectiveofaparticipantobserver.BythisImean
thatwithinmyresearchIambothanartist(participant)whoseworkisobserved
andwrittenabout,aswellasaresearcherwhowritesaboutotherartists’work
aswellasmyown(observer).Myresearchproposesthatartisticpracticecanbe
alensthroughwhichartistsinquireaboutculture,community,andheritage.
Throughtheirroleasobserversofcommunities,thatarenottheirown,artists
developpracticesthatservesasaformofanalysisofthatcommunity.This
analysisisimportanttodocumentandpreservebecauseitoffersinquirybased
explorationofaspectsofculturalheritage,thatareplacedinrelationshiptoone
anotherandthecommunity,throughcreativemeansinawaythatmay
otherwisebemissedoroverlookedbymoretraditionalacademicinquiry.
CertainchallengesIhavefacedinclude,negotiatingthevariedand
sometimesconflictingdisciplinaryrequirementsasaresultoftakingona
multidisciplinaryapproachtoresearch;articulatingtheneedforandlegitimacy
ofincludingcreativeresponsesinarchives;findingspaceforcreativityand
personalexpressionwhilevaluingethnography’semphasisonethics;andthe
incorporationofethicalpracticeinartisticpractice.
10
1.1.4Goals
Myintentioninthisdissertationistoplacedigitalmediaartisticpracticesin
sound,ethnographicresearch,andarchivalstudies,inconversation—withthe
followingintendedoutcomes:1)Tofurtherexistingdiscourseaboutthe
intersectionsandpotentialforhybriddisciplinaritybetweenartisticpracticeand
ethnographicinquiry.Thisapproachconsiderstheethicsofsuchworkandhelps
toprovideawayforartiststocreateworkwhentheyareengagingwithmaterial
ofsensitiveexpressiveculture.2)Toconsiderhowthespecificroledigital
mediaartistsplayincontributingtoanddevelopingnewmaterialsforthe
archivehelpstopreserveandsustainspecificculturalheritageandtraditions.
1.1.5CommentsonMyArtisticProcess Inordertowritethisdissertation,Ihaveattemptedtoclearlyidentifyand
articulatethequestionIwantedtoask,andtheproblemsthathavedrivenmy
research.However,giventhemultidisciplinaryapproachtomyresearch,formal
methodshavebeendifficulttoidentify.HereIwilldiscusssomeoftheproblems
Ihaveencounteredwithregardtomethodologythroughouttheprocessof
researchingandwriting.
Fromtheonsetitbecameclearthatthemultidisciplinarynatureofmy
interests,questions,andresearchmadeitdifficulttoidentifyanysingle
methodologythatwasappropriateforthescopeoftheproject.Myresearch
raisedquestionsacrossthedisciplinesofdigitalmediastudies,ethnographic
studies,ethnomusicology,archivalstudies,andartisticpracticeandresearch.In
ordertofindmethodsthatallowedmetoanalyzeanddiscussmyresearchIhad
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toidentifythekeyareaswithineachdisciplinethatmyworktouchedon,aswell
asthepointswheretheseareasoverlappedwiththeotherdisciplines.This
allowedmetoidentifythecurrentrelevantresearchanditsrelationshiptomy
proposedareaofinquiry.Ifoundthatthereareanumberofscholarswhoare
currentlyworkingonresearchanddevelopingmethodsthatconnecttwoofthe
disciplinaryframeworkswithindigitalmedia,ethnographicresearch,andthe
archives.Idecidedtousethemostinnovativeandrelevantmethodsbeing
developedbythesescholarswithinmyresearch,asishighlightedinChapter2.
TheworksIreferenceincludeJussiParikka’s(2013)workinmediaarchaeology,
HalFoster’s(2004)workinbringingartintothearchives,JonathanSterne’s
(2012)andBrandonLabelle’s(2015)workonsoundculture,SaraPinketal’s
(2015)workindigitalethnography,andFlorianDomboisetal’s(2012)workon
artisticpracticeasresearch.Iapproachedthisresearchlargelyfromadigital
ethnographymethodology,whichlooksatethnographicpracticeinadigital
mediaarena,andincorporatedrelevantresearchfromthearchival,
musicological,anddigitalmediadomains(mediaarchaeology,soundstudies,and
appliedethnomusicology)tosupportmyresearchandsomeofthehybrid
conclusionsthatresulted.
WhenIbeganmyfieldresearch,Isawtheprocessofethnographic
researchasfairlystraightforward,andconsideredthefieldrecordingsImadeas
apartoftheresearch,aswellasmaterialIwoulduseinmyartisticpractice.
WhenIbegantheprocessofmakingartfromthosefieldrecordings,Irealized
thatmyartisticpracticeconsideredtheoriginofthefieldrecordingsas
importanttotheprocessofcreatingsoundscapeswiththem.Thesetwo
approaches—ethnographicresearchandartisticpractice—wereplacedin
12
relationtooneanother,makingitnecessarytofindaframeworkforlookingat
thetwopiecesoftheprocesstogether,whichwasmoredifficult.Itbecame
necessarytolookoutsideandbeyondthefootholdsofindividualdisciplinesto
findthescholarswhoareboundarycrossersintheirownright.Suchwriting
doesexist,andservesasanimportantframeworkforhowtoplacedisciplines
withlimitedscholarlyoverlap,inconversationwithoneanother.Forexample,
DavidSamuelsetal.(2010)in“Soundscapes:TowardaSoundedAnthropology,”
writesabouttherelationshipbetweenanthropologyandsoundscapes:“Itisour
hopethatbytracingthegenealogiesandhistoriesoftheconceptofthe
soundscapewewillpromotesuchattentionandenableanthropologistsand
otherscholarsofculturetoengagethefullpotentialofsound—andinsound—
forthetheoreticalprojectofanthropology”(Samuelsetal.,2010,p.340).The
writersconsidertherelationshipbetweenthesoundscapeandanthropologyto
bemutuallybeneficial,wherebyafocusonsoundallowsanthropologiststo
consideranduncoverhistoricalrelevancethroughasoundedcontext;onethat
theymayhaveotherwiseandpreviouslyoverlooked.Theauthorsalsowrite
aboutthehistoricalrelationshipanthropologistshavewithsoundasatoolfor
research,particularlyintheformoffieldrecordingasonethathasoftenbeen
discreditedinitsvalue.
Thehermeneuticsofvaryingdisciplinesaredifferent;asaresultitcanbe
challengingtoseetheinterconnectednessofresearchanalyzedusingtwo
differenthermeneuticframeworks.Developingresearchprojectsthatare
multidisciplinaryfromtheoutsetnecessitatesagreementbetweenresearchers
fromdifferentdisciplinesabouthowtheywillcollectandanalyzetheir
findings—or,attheveryleast,negotiationbetweencollaboratorsthatservesto
13
challengedifferentepistemologicalandhermeneuticapproachestoresearch.
Thisprocessmakesusalwaysreturntothebasicyetfundamentalquestion
essentialtogoodresearchpracticesandoutcomes:Whatistheimportanceof
thisresearch,andwhy?
Similarly,amultidisciplinaryapproachisalsocriticaltothedevelopmentof
newepistemologies.Manydisciplinarysubfieldsaretheoreticallyrelatedto
theirparentdisciplines,thoughtheymaydeviateslightly;forexample,
ethnomusicologyasadisciplinegrewoutofanthropologyand,toaslightly
differentdegree,appliedethnomusicology,whichwascreatedasasubfieldof
ethnomusicology.Consideringthetheoreticalframeworksofindividual
disciplinesinrelationshiptooneanotherallowsforarobustanddynamic
dialogueabouttheinterconnectednatureofdifferenttheoriesofknowledgethat
couldresultinthedevelopmentofacompletelynewtheoryofknowledgethat
otherwisemightnothavebeenconsidered.
1.1.6OverviewoftheDissertation
Thisdissertationisorganizedinthreemainparts,firsttheproposed
questionandideasthatfueledthiswork,theintroductionandoverviewofthe
stateoftheart,whichisfollowedbytheresearchIhaveconductedtoexplore
thesequestionsandpostulateideas,thesearethethreecasestudieswhichI
drawfrom,andthethirdsectionisadiscussionofwhythesecasestudiesarein
conversationwithoneanotherandtheoutcomesandconclusionsIdrawfrom
thisresearch.
14
Chapter1isanintroductiontotheoriginsofthisproject,whereitcame
fromandsomeofthekeyquestionsandideasthatdrovetheresultingresearch
andanalysis.
Chapter2reviewstheliteratureandresearchthatisrelevanttothisthesis
bygoingintogreatdepthinthreefieldsofinquirythatinformthetheoretical
frameworkofthedissertation.Thethreefieldsaredigitalmediastudies,
ethnographicstudiesasseenthroughethnomusicologyandapplied
ethnomusicology,andarchivalstudies,includingmediaarchaeology.Iwilllook
atseminaltextsandscholarsintheseareastoprovideafoundationandcritical
entrypointformymainideasandarguments.Ialsotaketheopportunityto
reflectonhowsomeofmyideasarerelatedtoandbuiltfromideasproposedby
scholarsinthesefields.
Chapters3,4,and5willcoverthreecasestudiesthatserveasthe
foundationofmyresearch.Chapter3isanin-depthethnographicstudyofthe
TheyyamfestivalinthevillageofKeezharainNorthernKerala,India.This
chapterprovidesdeepethnographicobservationofthefestivalandthe
community,focusingontheartisticcollaborationIhavewithartistDhanaraj
Keezharaandtheexhibitionwecreatedfromdocumentationofthefestival,
entitledEverydayLife.
Chapter4isacasestudyofLestWeForget,anEmirativernacular
photographycollectiondevelopedbyuniversitystudentsandtheirprofessorin
AbuDhabi,UnitedArabEmirates.Thechapterprovidesanethnographicaccount
ofthecollectionandassociatedexhibitionsdevelopedbythestudentsandthe
Emiraticommunity,throughintergenerationaldialogueandartisticresponse.I
specificallylookattheprojectthroughthelensoforalhistoryworkshopsI
15
conductedwiththestudents,lookingatwaystheycanbegintoincorporatethe
storiessharedwiththembytheirparentsandgrandparents,intoanartistic
exhibitionthatisusedtocommunicatethefindingsofthecollectionof
vernacularphotographs.
Chapter5looksatthethirdcasestudy,SonicStoryboard:TheCallto
Prayer,anexplorationoftheprocessofcollectingfieldrecordingsofthecallto
prayerfrommosquesaroundtheworld,andthewaytheserecordingswereused
todevelopaninteractivesoundinstallation,aswellasaweb-basedsoundmap
viewerscannavigatetolistentothecalltoprayerfromdifferentplacesaround
theworld.
Chapter6istheDiscussionsection,inwhichthethreecasestudiesare
placedinconversationwithoneanotherandwiththetheoreticalframeworks
fromthedisciplinesfromwherethisresearchisderived.TheDiscussionsection
bothasksandanswersquestionsaboutwhythesethingsareinconversation
withoneanother,whytheymattertooneanother,andwhythisworkmatters
morebroadlyasanimportantscholarlycontribution.
Finally,Chapter7servesasaconclusionandwillbeanoverviewofwhyI
havechosentoconductthisresearchandthekeyoutcomes,aswellasthe
originalcontributionthisworkmakestothefieldsofartisticscholarshipand
ethnographicresearch.HereIalsoprovideguidelinesforfurtherstudy.
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2 LiteratureReview
17
2.LiteratureReview
2.1SectionOne:TheArchive
2.1.1TheArchive
“[T]hequestionofthearchiveisnot,werepeat,aquestionofthepast.Itisnotthequestionofaconceptdealingwiththepastthatmight already be at our disposal or not at our disposal, anarchivableconceptofthearchive. It isaquestionofthefuture,thequestion of the future itself, the question of a response, of apromise andof a responsibility for tomorrow.The archive: ifwewant to know what that will have meant, we will only know intimestocome.” —JacquesDerrida(1995,p.36)
Onefundamentalquestionraisedbythisdissertationis:howandtowhat
extentcanartistsplayaroleinpreservingandsustainingculturalheritageand
tradition?Toapproachthisquestion,Iwillconsiderthedisciplinesofarchival
studies,ethnography,anddigitalmedia,asthesethreeareasareheavily
interconnectedinmyresearch,andnecessarytoexploreinordertoconsiderthe
questionsposedwithin.Tobegin,letuslookatthepassageabove,takenfrom
JacquesDerrida’sArchiveFever:AFreudianImpression(1995),inwhichhe
considersthequestionofthearchive.Derridaarguesthatthequestionofthe
archiveisaquestionofthefuture,ratherthanoneofthepresent,andalsoa
questionaboutthemeaningofthearchive,whichhearguescanonlybe
ascertainedinthefuture,whenpeoplelookbackonthatwhichhasbeen
archivedwithaneyethatcanseewhatthearchivecametomean.Derrida
arguesthatthequestionofthearchiveisalsoaquestionofourresponsibilityto
tomorrow.
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IinterpretDerrida’s(1995)statementtomeanthatwhatwechooseto
archive,theveryquestionofwhatthearchiverepresents,alsohasanimpacton
howweseetodayandtomorrow.Theobjectsandstorieswedeemimportantto
representusinthefuture,shapehowweidentifyourcommunityandourselves
today.Howwillwesee100yearsagoin300years?Derridaisarguingthatthe
verydecisionofwhatthearchiveis,whatitcontains,whatitaimstodo,andhow
itiswovenintothefabricofsociety,carriestheresponsibilityforwhat
tomorrowunderstandsoftoday.
MichelFoucault(1969)arguedinL'archéologiedusavoir1thatthe
“archaeologistofknowledge”usesphysicalobjectsandremainsfromthepastto
helpreconstructanarchiveinthepresent,andthatthisprocessreveals
informationabouthumanitiesrelationshiptothepastandthewayweconstruct
historicalmeaning.Foucaultalsoarguesthatthearchiveserves,asasystemof
whatisvaluedinasociety,whatischosentoberecorded,ornotrecorded,and
importantlyservesasadefinitionforwhichpartsofhistoryarewrittendown
andsaved.Thesescholarsforceustoquestionwhathistoryis,howour
understandingofthepastandpresentcreateanunderstandingofasocietyinthe
future,andhowwellweareabletodocumenthistorythroughthewrittenword.
AndasCharlesMerewetherposes,“Iswhatismateriallypresent,visibleor
legibleadequatetoaneventthathaspassedoutofpresenttime?”(Merewether,
2006,p.12).Derrida(1995)arguesthatpoliticalpowerinanycontextis
connectedtocontrolofthearchive,ascontrolofthearchiveiscontroloveran
aspectofsocietalmemory.
1WhileIgivereferencetoMichelFoucault’soriginalbook,whichwaspennedinFrenchin1969,asanon-Francophone,theversionIhavereadisthe1972EnglishtranslationbyAMSheridanSmithentitled,TheArchaeologyofKnowledge.
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Archivesarecreatedwhenobjectsortextsaredeemedimportantto
preserveforaparticularcommunity.Storingandrestoringtheseartifactsis
integraltokeepingculturalmemoryortheimpactofanhistoricaleventalive.
Theimportanceofaneventtothecommunityplaysadecisiveroleinkeepingthe
pastaliveinthepresentmoment.Ineffectthepastneedstoserveasaliving
shadowtothepresent,andthatrepresentationofthepastshouldbeholistically
inclusive,notonlyofreproductionsofevents,butofseeminglytangential
elementsthatbecomecentralsignifiersoftime,space,context,andcultural
memory.
IntheiressayArchivingDigitalCulturalArtifacts,PeterLymanand
BrewsterKahle(1998)arguethatculturalartifactscreatedormigratedtoa
digitalmediumaremorefreelyaccessedandutilized,andthattheseartifactscan
berepresentedinvaryingforms,andareadaptablewithinemergingmedia
unliketheiranalogcounterparts,whichgenerallyliveinalibraryorinaphysical
archive.
Inpresentdaythepracticeoffieldrecordingreliesondigitalrecordersand
technologythatcreatesafilemadeupof1sand0s,whichacomputercan
interpretandusetoreconstructthevisualimageofananalogsinewaveinour
audioeditingsoftwareprograms.Thesedigitalrecordingsoforaltraditions,
histories,music,andsonicenvironmentstranslateculturefromtheanalogworld
aroundusintodigitalcontent,orasLymanandKahlecallit,digitalcultural
artifacts.Theprocessofthistranslationfromtheanalog—thatwhichwecapture
withourmicrophones—tothedigital—thatwhichismadeofsomany1’sand0’s
thatitcanonlytrulybeinterpretedbycomputers—arguablydistancesusfrom
20
theauthenticityofthatculture,andmovesusclosertoamoreauthentic
preservationofit.
LymanandKahle(1998,para.5)definecultureas“somethingwedo,a
performancewhichfadesintomemorythendisappears.”Thepreservationof
culturalpracticesandtraditionsthereforerequiresdocumentationand
archiving,andthedigitaldomainoffersnewapproachestothatpreservationand
distribution.InhisdiscussionoftheWorldWideWebasaculturalartifact
Lymansays,“thekeyquestionsaboutit[theweb]arenottobeansweredinthe
natureofitsartifactsalone,butintheemergingsocialformswhicharemade
possiblebythesenewmedia”(Lyman&Kahle,1998,para.8).Higherfidelityand
newdigitalformatsenhanceourabilitytoarchiveandprotectdigitalartifacts.
However,beyondthesuperficiallyobviousbenefitofeasierpreservationofthe
physicalobjectoftheartifact,thedifferencebetweenadecayingcassettetape
andabunchof1sand0sinacomputer,isthevalueofadigitalartifactin
circulatingthroughourgloballytransmediaworld.Whereasadocumentinan
archiveoftenmeansapieceofpaperinabuildinginaparticulargeographic
location,thisisnottrueforphysicalcollectionsthathavedigitizedtheirpaper
basedarchives,adigitalartifactcanmeaninformationthatcanbeaccessedina
varietyofformatsandlocations,possiblyfromalmostanywherethathasaccess
totheinternet.
InthisdissertationIsuggestthatcreativeresponsestoexpressivecultural
traditionsplayacriticalroleincapturingnotonlyimportantaspectsofthe
traditionitself,butalsopossesseswithinthemimportantmetadataofthetime—
informationaboutthepresentmomentinwhichthetraditionoccurred.Derrida’s
(1995)approachtodefiningandunderstandingwhatthearchivemeans,brings
21
ourattentiontotheinterpretativenatureofarchives,andtothefactthatweare
notjustseeingrecorded“facts”inanarchive,butinstead,wearewitnessingan
activeshapingofhistory.Iwouldsuggestthathisargumentsleaveamplespace
forarttobeanimportantpartofthedefinitionofthearchive,asartisticpractice
hasthepowertomakethecreativeactsofselectionandmaking—whichweare
doingwhenweconstructanarchive—exposed.
2.1.2ArtistsandtheArchive
Justasartistsarenolongertheloneagentoftheavantgarde, thearchivistisalsonolongeragate-keeperoftheinstitutionalorder; eachareguideswhoseknowledgeofthetopologyofdomainscansteerus
throughuncharteredyetcontestedterritoriesoftheexpandedfieldofthe archive.
-NealWhite(2013,p.61)
AnincreasingnumberofscholarsincludingFlorianDomboisetal.(2012),
HalFoster(2004),andJudyVakninetal(2013)arguethatcreative
documentationprojectscanplayanimportantroleintraditionalarchives,and
thatartistshaveauniquecapacitytomakehistoricalinformationcontemporary
andrelevant.Thisconceptwaspre-datedinthearchivalworldbythenotionthat
archivalpracticeitselfisapoliticalact(SchwartzandCook,2002).AndrewFlinn
(2011)arguesthathistorymakingandarchivingisfrequentlyconnectedto
socialtransformationandactivism.InthissectionIwillexplorethescholarsand
artistswhohavebeentrailblazersindefiningtheimportanceandneedfor
artisticpracticetobearchived,andthevalueartandartistscanbringtothe
22
archivebothwithregardtopoliticalagenda,andasconnectedtothearchival
missionofpreservationanddocumentation.
DianeTaylor(2003)considerstheideaof‘impacting’archivalmaterial
throughartisticchangeandthewaythisprocesscontributestothedevelopment
ofcritical,non-reproducibleknowledge.SheexpandsonthisideainTheArchive
andtheRepertoire,whenshedescribesariftbetween“archival”memory—
“itemssupposedlyresistanttochange”—andrepertoire,which“enacts
embodiedmemory-performances,gestures,orality,movement,dance,singing-in
short,allthoseactsusuallythoughtofasephemeral,non-reproducible
knowledge”(Taylor,2003,p.19).
Arepertoireisintangible;itdescribesalistofitemsorabodyofknowledge
orexperiences,ratherthanasolidobjectthatcanbereadorinterpretedasfrom
aspecifictimeorplace.Arepertoiresuggestsacollectionthatcanbetransferred
overtimeandspace.AccordingtoTaylor(2003),humannatureseemsinclined
tobuildsilosofknowledgeandexpertise,categoriesandclassificationsthatcan
leadtohierarchicalpowerstructures.Archivalmaterial,whichhasbeen
cataloguedandclassified,maintainsasemblanceofpureform,meaningthatthe
rawmaterialisconsidereduntouchedandunchanged.
Taylor(2003)arguesthatwhatchangesovertimeisthevalue,relevance,
ormeaningofthearchive,aswellashowtheitemswithinbecomeinterpreted
andevenembodied.Forexamplebonesremainthesamewhiletheirstorymay
change,dependingonthepaleontologistorforensicanthropologistwho
examinesthem.Itispossiblethatdifferentexpertsmaygleandifferenttypesof
informationaboutorigin,death,ortimelinefromthebones.Antigonemightbe
performedinmultipleways,whiletheunchangingtextassuresastablesignifier.
23
Writtentextsallowscholarstotraceliterarytraditions,sourcesandinfluences,
butarealsosubjecttochanginginterpretations.
In“ExperimentsandArchivesintheExpandedField,"NeilWhite(2013)
discussestheroleartsresearchhasrecentlyplayedinmediatingthearchive,
notingthattheexperiment,whichhaswidelybeenusedasamodelforhistorical
analysisofscience,isnowbeingusedtoanalyzeresearchinthearts.
Inthisapproach,new‘epistemicthings’andeven‘technicalobjects’
producedinthedevelopmentofexperimentalsystems,becomemethodsof
examiningthenatureandmaterialityofthearchiveandwhatknowledgeis
beingproducedinthedevelopmentofexperimentalarchives.(p.52)
White’sessayhighlightstheimportanceofcreativeandalternativemethods
inactivatingthearchives,whilerecognizingthechallengeofresearchingthe
impactthosecreativemethodshaveonthearchive.Whiteargues,
Inremainingattentivetothematerialresistancesofthearchive,the
artist…hasmorefundamentalvaluetothearchivethanasasymbolic,
aestheticallyresistant,engagedindividual…eachareguideswhose
knowledgeofthetopologyofdomainscansteerusthroughuncharteredyet
contestedterritoriesoftheexpandedfieldofthearchive.(2013,p.61).
Inotherwords,partofthevaluethatartistscanbringtoarchiving,accordingto
White,istheirattentivenesstothatwhichisactuallyapartofthearchive,the
materialthatbecomesarchived,andthatwhichisconsideredarchival.
WhileWhitearguesfortheimportanceofcreativemethodsasanapproach
toexploringthematerialityofthearchive,otherslikeHalFoster(2004)in“An
ArchivalImpulse”andJessicaSantone(2008)inMarinaAbramović’sSevenEasy
Pieces:CriticalDocumentationStrategiesforPreservingArt’sHistory,disagreeand
24
insteadsuggestthatitisactuallytheartistsandtheartworkthatshouldbe
exploredasimportantmaterialtobeincludedinthearchive.WhileFoster
arguesthatartistscanenliventhecurrentlystalearchives,Santonearguesthat
weshouldbelookingtowardthespecificsofartisticpracticeanddocumentation
asaroadmapforhowtore-engagewiththearchive.FosterandSantone’s
contributionshavebeencrucialtochangingthethinkingabouthowarchivesare
conceivedof,organized,andengagedwith;yet,whatismissingfromthe
researchonartistsinthearchivesistheartists’voicesthemselvesanda
significantmovementofartistparticipationinthequestionsofarchivingand
theirengagementwitharchivalmaterials.Iwillarguethatwhatisneededisan
approachthatcombinesartists’enliveningthearchivefromFoster’sperspective,
togetherwithartists’methodsandcreativeapproachesservingasaroadmapfor
thearchives,whichSantonecallsfor—essentiallyamethodthatcombines
researchonartistsinthearchiveandartists’engagementwitharchival
materials,forthepurposesofbetterunderstandingwhatartistscancontribute
tothepreservationandsustainabilityofimportantarchivalmaterials.
Foster(2004)positionsarchivalartasanimportantplayerinchangingthe
landscapeofthearchivalworld.Hewritesaboutthewaysartistsasarchivists
canenliventheotherwisestaleapproachtoarchivingthatweseeinmuseums
andothersimilarinstitutionsthroughtheirdifferentlyorientedapproachto
organization.Hewritesthatthe“movetoturn‘excavationsites’into
‘constructionsites’…suggestsashiftawayfromamelancholicculturethatviews
thehistoricalaslittlemorethanthetraumatic”(Foster,2004,p.22).ForFoster,
archivalarthasthepowertoshiftthewaywethinkaboutthepast—from
melancholicnostalgiatoactive,enlivenedcreationofacollectivehistory.
25
Foster’sworkisfundamentaltotheresearchIwillpresentinChapter4.
TheLestWeForgetCollectionisatthehelmofwhatHalFostercalls“anarchival
impulse,”where“archivalartistsseektomakehistoricalinformation,oftenlost
ordisplaced,physicallypresent.Tothisendtheyelaborateonthefoundimage,
object,andtext,andfavortheinstallationformatastheydoso”(Foster,2004,p.
4).Traditionally,archivalmaterialhasbeenconsideredsourceinformation,
unchangedandinitsoriginalform.Withthedigitalrevolutioncamegreater
accesstotoolsandresourcesfordigitalpreservationandrestoration,which
beggedthequestionofhowtomaintainmaterialinanarchive,withregardto
thesenewdigitaltoolsandformats.AsFoster(2004)pointsout,“sometimes
archivalsamplingspushthepostmodernistcomplicationsoforiginalityand
authorshiptoanextreme”(pp.4).Withthesenewtechnologies,alsocamenew
possibilitiesfororganizing,referencing,andaccessingarchivalmaterials,raising
questionsaboutthearchiveasaphysicalspacethatpeoplecometo,and
consideringnewwaystoengagethepublicinthearchive.However,itisnotthe
digitalrevolutionthathascausedagitationaboutwhatconstitutesarchival
material;thisquestionhasbeenraisedbytheartists.
Fosterplacesarchivalartinconversationwiththetraditionalmuseumas
archive,inordertolegitimizearchivalartistsandtheirwork.Heargues:
Finally,theworkinquestionisarchivalsinceitnotonlydrawsoninformal
archivesbutproducesthemaswell,anddoessoinawaythatunderscores
thenatureofallarchivalmaterialsasfoundyetconstructed,factualyet
fictive,publicyetprivate.Further,itoftenarrangesthesematerials
accordingtoaquasi-archivallogic,amatrixofcitationandjuxtaposition,
andpresentstheminaquasi-archivalarchitecture,acomplexoftextsand
objects(again,platforms,stations,kiosks…).(Foster,2004,p.5)
26
TheLestWeForgetprojectpushesourunderstandingofarchivedmaterial
byplacinganemphasisoncreativeresponseasavalidandcriticalcomponentof
itscollection.Bydoingso,LWFhascreatedaconversationandanentrypointfor
youngerEmiratigenerationstocareaboutandbeinvestedin—notjustlearn
about—theexperiencesofpreviousgenerations,andtheirrelationshiptothose
aspectsoftheirowncultureandheritage.
JessicaSantonearguesthatcreativearchivalprojectshavethecapacityto
“highlightloss,absence,fallibilityandtechnologicalmediationasinherentand
productiveaspectsofdocumentation”(Santone,2008,p.152).Shearguesthat
theseprojects“remindusofthe“found,yetconstructed”qualityofbotharchives
anddocuments.Theyencourageperformativeandcriticalresponsesfromusas
wecontemplatenewdocumentationstrategies”(Santone,2008,p.
151).Santone’sresearchsuggeststhatthecreativeapproachanartisttakesin
executingherworkcanpromoteactivereflectionontheprocessofarchiving
itself,andtheapproachtohowwethinkaboutpreservinginformationasa
society.
WhileTaylor(2003),White(2013),Foster(2004),andSantone(2008)all
valuetheroleoftheartistinthearchive,authorsDombois,Bauer,Mareis,and
Schwab(2012)offeradifferentapproachtolookingatthewayartistscan
interactwithavarietyofinstitutionsanddisciplines,throughtheconceptof
“artisticresearch.”Intheirbook,IntellectualBirdhouse:ArtisticPracticeas
Research,theauthorsassertthat,“artisticresearchisanactivityforborder-
crossers”(Domboisetal.,2012,p.11).Theysuggestthatthosewhoparticipate
inartisticresearchoftenfindthemselvesworkingbetweenvaryingdisciplines
27
andarenotboundtoaparticularfrontier.IntellectualBirdhousedefines“artistic
research”asbeing,
Independentof‘discipline’andmightoccurinallcontextsonceepistemic
expectationshaveshifted…itisbothamatterofproductiveandreflective
workonandwiththematerial,andartisticresearchofteninvolvestesting
formsofrepresentationotherthantextaswellasengaginginopen
negotiationswithknowledge.(Ibid,p.11).
Inheressay“ParadoxesExperiencedbyArtist-Thinkers,”RenéeGreen
(2012)suggeststhat“artistic-thinkers”allshareasimilarinquisitivenature,
whichentailsanalysisandinquirythatisrealizedthroughaformofcreation.
Greenalsosuggeststhatworkdevelopedby“artist-thinkers”enjoysatimeless
sustainabilitydueinparttothemethodsandanalysisusedincreation:“A
distinguishingfeatureineachoftheirproductionsisthatevenastimescontinue
tochange,itcanstillbecompellingtorevisitandreconsiderwhattheymadeand
thought”(Green,2012,p.271).Greene’sconceptof“artist-thinkers”asthose
whocreateatypeofscholarlyworkthatisalsoartisticisusefulbecauseit
considersthehybridityofanindividualwhoseworkisbothcreativelyminded
andengagedinanalysisandinquiry.Ifweunderstandartandcreativityasa
crucialpartofandwindowintoresearchanddocumentation,ratherthanasa
supplementarynon-scholarlyformofinquiry,thenactivelydevelopingcreativity
andcreativeprojectsbecomesawaytoenterandunderstanddifferent
disciplinaryareasofscholarshipandresearch.
R.MurraySchaferiscreditedwithcoiningthetermsoundscapein1977as
“anyacousticfieldofstudy”(Schafer,1977,p.7).Schaferarguestheimportance
28
ofthesoundscapeasadocumentofasonicenvironmentinamomentintime,
muchlikeaphotographcapturesalandscape.Heargues,
Whilewemayhavenumerousphotographstakenatdifferenttimes,and
beforethemdrawingsandmapstoshowushowascenechangedoverthe
ages,wemustmakeinferencesastothechangesofthesoundscape…More
thanthis,soundsmayalterordisappearwithscarcelyacommentevenfrom
themostsensitiveofhistorians.(Schafer,1977,p.8)
Schafer(1977)categorizedthemainthemesofasoundscapeintothree
categories:keynotesounds,signals,andsoundmarks.Hedefineskeynoteasa
musicaltermthatistheanchortoneofacompositionthatmaybelistenedto
subconsciously.Schaferdefinessignalsassoundsintheforegroundthatare
consciouslylistenedto.TheclearestexampleSchafergivesisofsignalsthatare
acousticwarningdeviceslikebells,whistles,sirensandhorns.Thesoundmark,
derivedfromlandmark,isasoundthatisuniquetoorspeciallyregardedbya
community.Soundmarkshelptocreatetheuniqueacousticlifeofacommunity.
Inmyownworkonsoundscapedevelopment,documentingthesoundscapes
becomesbothawayofdocumentingculture,andalsoseeingasoundscapeasa
living,breathing,constantlychangingthingthatallowsanarchivisttonotonly
captureasonic“snapshot”ofaplaceandtime,butalsoputone’sfingerprinton
it.Archivingasoundscape,then,becomesanimportantbridgebetweenthe
artisticpracticeofsoundscapedesign,andtheculturalmomentsbeingcaptured
throughthefieldrecordingsandsoundscape.
29
2.1.3Activism
Activismisnostrangertothearchive.In1977PatrickM.Quinn,archivist
atNorthwesternUniversity,wroteanessayentitledTheArchivistasActivist,
wherehereflectedonaturntowardactivisminthearchivalcommunityinthe
UnitedStatesbetween1970and1977.Intheessay,Quinn(1977)tellsthestory
ofprofessorHowardZinn,ahistorianfromBostonUniversity,whopresenteda
paperentitledTheAmericanArchivistandRadicalReformattheSocietyfor
AmericanArchivists(SAA)AnnualMeetingin1970.QuinnnotedhowZinn
calledforactionfromfellowarchiviststostriveforbetterdocumentationof
minoritiesandtofightfortheopeningofgovernmentdocumentstothepublic,
bothofwhichwereconsideredradicalnotionsatthattime.Quinntalksabout
thegaspsandshockfrommembersoftheSAAinresponsetoZinn’scallto
activism,aswellasattemptsintheyearsfollowingtofightagainsthiscallfor
transparencyandinclusion.Quinnthenmapsoutanoverviewofchangesinthe
fieldofArchivingoversevenyearsfollowingZinn’spaper,findingthattheSAA
didinfactmoveinthedirectionthatZinnwasinitiallyshunnedforproposing.In
concludingtheessay,Quinnwrites,
Whatthenisactivism?Isitnottheprocessbywhicheachindividual
archivistactsuponhisorherconvictions,ratherthanpassively
acquiescingtowhateverrealorimaginedconditionsorsetof
circumstancesconspiretocircumscribeourviews,ourvisions,ourgoals,
ouraspirations.Ifthatiswhatactivismisallabout,thenletushavemore
ofit.Letusincorporateitasanintegralcomponentofthearchival
revolutionofourtime.(Quinn,1977,p.10)
Inpresent-dayarchives,activismhasbeenincorporatedintothemissions
ofsomearchiveandheritageinstitutions.Activisminthearchivecantakea
30
varietyofforms,includingbutnotlimitedto:socialtransformationthrough
archiving,communityengagementandexternaloutreach,bringinggreater
diversityintothearchive,andre-orientingideasofcustodianshipofarchival
materialstoplacetheminthehandsofthosetowhomtheybelong.
WhileQuinn(1977)arguesthatactivismtookholdinarchival
communitiesintheearly1970’s,AndrewFlinn(2011)dateslargescalesocial
andculturalchangetothepostworldwartwoera,andarguesthatconcerns
aroundthestoriesofthosecommunitiestraditionallyignored,canbeconnected
totheemergenceofnewacademicdisciplinesfromthe1960’sthroughthe
1980’sinsocialhistories,identityhistories,andoralhistory.
Flinn(2011)providesanunderstandingofthewidespreadinterestin
activismwithinarchivalcommunitiesinhisarticle,“ArchivalActivism:
IndependentandCommunity-ledArchives,RadicalPublicHistoryandthe
HeritageProfessions.”Flinnexploresprojectsthatengageinradicalapproaches
tohistory-making,aswellastheresponsetotheseprojectsfromarchiveand
heritageprofessionals.Hisresearchisconcernedwithbalancingstoriesof
community-ledarchivalprojectsthathaveanactivistorientationwith
developingsuggestionsforarchiveandheritageprofessionalsandinstitutions
thatallowforthesenewradicalapproachestobeincorporatedintotheethosof
theseinstitutions.Flinn’sresearchfocusesonfourprojects;FutureHistories2a
wellestablishedarchiveofAfrican,Asian,andCaribbeanperformingartsinthe
UK,rukus!3TheBlackLGBTArchiveProject,MoroccanMemories4acollectionof
oralhistoriesandmaterialsofpeopleofMoroccanHeritageintheUK,and2FormoredetailsaboutFutureHistoriesandtheirworksee:http://www.futurehistories.org.uk3Formoredetailsaboutrukus!BlackLGBTArchiveprojectsee:http://www.rukus.co.uk4FormoredetailsaboutMorrocanMemoriesandMorrocanMemoriesFoundationsee:http://www.morrocanmemories.org.uk
31
EastsideCommunityHeritage5,aprojectthatdocumentstheculturesofEast
London’sworkingclasscommunities.Headoptedanethnographicparticipatory
observationapproachtoobservethearchivesanddeveloprecommendationsfor
archiveprofessionalstotakeonamoreactiveengagementintheirrelationship
withthearchivebyincorporatinganactivistapproachtooutreachand
collectionsdevelopment,whichiscriticalforheritageandarchivalinstitutionsto
staycurrent,andmoreimportantlytomaintaintheirstatusas“trustedsitesof
informationandmemory”(Flinn,2011).
UnlikeQuinn(1977)andFlinn(2011),whoresearchtheoriginsof
activismanditsintersectionwiththearchives,AthanasiosVelios(2011)goes
onestepfurtherbysuggestingtheideaofCreativeArchiving.InCreative
Archiving:ACaseStudyfortheJohnLathamArchive,Veliosexploresthevalueof
interpretationandcreativeorganization,anditsimpactontheaccessibilityofan
archive.Thearticlespecificallyfocusesonadoptingcreativearchiving
techniquesforarchivesofcreativework,asameansofcollatingandinterpreting
awidebodyofworksothatitcanbemademoreeasilyunderstoodand
accessible.Veliosalsospeaksofthearchivistaseducator:
Theroleofthearchivistasaneducatorcanbecriticalforthe
communicationofideas,whichexistinthearchive.Thereisnodoubtthat
thearchivist’s/educator’sopinionispartialandsubjective,butthisisthe
casewithanyteacher.Inrecognitionofthearchivist’sawarenessofher
orhisownsubjectivity,theonlinearchiveisclearlymarkedasan
interpretation.(Velios,2011,p.267)
Thisapproachallowsfortheeducatororartisttomaptheirexpertise
ontothearchivalmaterialtocreateanewproduct,whilemaintaininga
5FormoredetailsaboutEastsideCommunityHeritagesee:http://www.hidden-histories.org.uk
32
distinctionbetweenthatwhichisthearchivalmaterialandthat,whichisthe
interpretation.Thisallowsforthepreservationofthearchivalmaterial,which
asFlinnhighlightsistherolemanyheritageandarchivalinstitutionsalready
play,whileaddingacreativearchivinglayerasanewtool,whicharchivescan
usetowardgreateractivism.
Yet,asPatrickQuinn’s(1977)workhighlights,noteveryoneinthe
archivalcommunityisopentochangeandthemovetowardactivism.A
tendencytowardsinitialpushbackagainstnewideasexistsineverycommunity
andcanactuallybebeneficial,asitforcesdebate,whichhelpspeopletofurther
developandquestiontheirproposalsandideas.Forthisreasonitisimportant
andinterestingtoshareVelios’sdiscussionontheargumentagainstcreative
archiving,inwhichheexploresthekeycriticismofcreativearchiving—thatthe
interpretation,beitbyartist,educatororarchivist,willhinderaccesstothe
collection.Veliossays,
Thisisindeedariskwhensuchheavyinterpretationbecomesthecoreof
thearchivalprocess.Therearetwoanswerstothis:(i)thearchivist
shouldbeawarethatthearchivemustbepracticalinsomewayandallow
reasonableconvenienttoolstobeusedsothatinformationretrievalis
maintainedaspartofthearchive’scorefunctionality.However,thisis
notariskofcreativearchivingonlybutanissuethatarchivistshaveto
addressregularly.(ii)Itistechnicallypossibletoavoidtheinterpretation
layerandallowtheusertoaccessrawdata.Inotherwords,the
interpretationlayershouldnotinterferewiththedataitselfandif
necessarythearchivalrecordscanbeaccesseddirectly.(Velios,2011,p.
268)
Veliosdiscusseshowaccessibilityisaproblemofallarchiving,andneeds
tobeaddressedregardlessoftheinclusionofacreativeapproach.Thinkingof
33
accessibilityasaregularconcernofallarchivingallowsustofocusonthe
particularbenefitsthatacreativearchivemightallow.
Quinn(1977),Flinn(2011),andVelios(2011)speakofthegrowthof
activismwithincommunitiesofarchivalprofessionals,andthepushbackand
initialresistancetonewideasandapproaches.InmyresearchIaimtocontinue
toexpandthecallforactivisminarchivesbyapproachingcreativeinterpretation
ofarchivalmaterialsasaformactivism.Thereisanimportantroleforartiststo
playinsupportingarchivalprofessionalsinactiveengagementthatcanbe
accomplishedbyshifting“theirfocusfromasolelycustodialandinstitutional
approachtosomething,whichisequallyconcernedwithsignificantarchivaland
heritagecollectionsinsideandoutsidethewallsoftheirarchive”(Flinn,2011,p.
15).Thisdissertationisinterestedininvestigatingwhatcreativearchivingcan
addtoarchivesandarchivalmaterials,allowingforartists’interpretationofthe
material,whichservesasasecondmeansortouchpointforaccesstothe
material.
DrawingonTaylor’s(2003)andVelios’(2011)work,myresearch
considerscreativearchivingasanimportanttoolintheshapingandpreservation
ofacommunity’sculturalheritageandhistory.Giventhenewnessofthisarea,
therearemorequestionsthananswers.Forexamplehowcanartbeincludedin
archives?;whatelementsofartisticworksarepossibletoarchiveandhow?;and
inwhatwayscanartisticpracticebeincorporatedintoarchivalcollections
developmentmorebroadly?However,eachquestionleadstoapotentialnew
areaofexplorationwithinarchiving,andopensupnewavenuesforengagement
withthepublicaswellasanexcitinghybridityacrossscholarlyandpractice-
34
basedinquiriesthatareconcernedwithcapturingandpreservinghuman
culture.
2.2SectionTwo:DigitalMediaStudies
2.2.1DigitalMediaArchiving
Mediaarchaeologystemsfromavarietyofareasandfields,includingstudies
inthearchaeologiesofpowerandknowledgeofMichelFoucault,Filmhistory,
andthemorecurrentstudiesoftechnicalmediaculturethatlooksatdigitaland
softwarecultureswithaneyetowardthepast(Parikka,2013,p.5).Accordingto
WolfgangErnstandJussiParikka(2013),“mediaarchaeologyisbothamethod
andanaestheticofpracticingmediacriticism,akindofepistemologicalreverse
engineering,andanawarenessofmomentswhenmediathemselves,not
exclusivelyhumananymore,becomeactive‘archaeologists’ofknowledge”(p.
55).Thoughsomeapproachestomediaarchaeologyfollowachronologicalor
narrative-drivenapproachtouncoveringthehistoricalelementsoftechnology,
othersdisconnectlineartemporality,ahumanorientation,fromthearchaeology
ofknowledge.Thetemporalityofarchivinginthearenaofdigitalmedia,
specificallythatofsonicmaterial,takesonmultiplemeaningsasdigitalmedia
proponentsconsidertherelationshipbetweentheculturalobjectormaterial
thatisbeingdocumentedandthetechno-epistemologiesthatareusedfor
documentation.Inhisbook,WhatisMediaArchaeology?,JussiParrika(2013)
arguesthattheassumedpermanenceofdigitalmemorythatcomeswith
documentingandarchivingartifactsandstoriesofculturalheritagethrough
digitalmeans,needstobequestioned,andthatinstead,couplingdegeneration
35
withregenerationisthekeycharacteristicofdigitalmemory,astheprocessof
archivingoftendegeneratesanartifactwhileattemptingtoregenerateits
accessibilityandlongevity.
Parikka(2013)namessixexamplesofdigitalarchaeologyart,oneofwhich
hecalls“Media,”whichhedefinesas“archaeologicalartthatdrawsfrom
concretearchives—inotherwords,artisticpracticeinformedbyarchivalwork
andhistoricalmaterials,adirectwayofworkinglikeahistorianbutforartistic
ends”(Parikka,2013,p.140).Asanewarea,mediaarchaeologydoesnotyet
haveacleararticulationofanartisticmethodology;however,itisloosely
identifiedbyitslookingtowarddigitalmedia,mediaculture,history,technology,
archaeology,andnotionsoftimeandspace.
Parikka(2013)notesthatsincethe1990stherehasbeenagenreofdigital
archaeologyartistswhotakeoldmediatechnologiesandthemesandresurrect
theminamoderndaycontext,ofteningalleriesormuseums,andonline.Theart
projects’hybridtheoreticalinclusivityandresultingthematicinclusivity,
highlightedbyParrikaasapartofdigitalarchaeologyart,seemsintuitively
connectedtotheobjectiveofdevelopingandoverlayingcreativeresponsesto
culturalarchivalmaterialtowardthesustainabilityofculturalheritageand
tradition(Parikka,2013).Myresearchseemstodivergefrommedia
archaeologyatthemoment,inthewaysinwhichitisalsofocusedontheliving
humanelementsinherentinethnographicresearch,whilescholarsinthe
emergingfieldseemtobemorefocusedatthemomentondissectinghistorical
technologicalobjectsandtechnologies.
BuildingoffofFoucault’s(1969)re-envisionedunderstandingofthe
archive,fromconcreteplacetothearchiveasaconditionofknowledge,this
36
dissertationlooksatanapproachtounderstandingthearchivethroughdigital
mediaarchiving,whichconsidersatemporalapproachtoarchivingthatplaces
relevantmultigenerationalsocialideologiesfromaculturalmomentin
conversationwithandabouthistoricalobjectsanddepictionsofthesame.Using
thelensofmediaarchaeology,Iaminterestedinconsideringthehermeneutics
oftechnologicallyinformedtheoriesofknowledgethatmightbeextractable,and
inverselyembeddable,withincreativeworkderivedfromdigitalethnographic
practices.Thisistosaythatwhendigitalapproachestoobservingand
documentingcommunities,suchasfieldrecordings,areincorporatedintodigital
mediaartthatismadeinresponsetoresearchwithinacommunity,theresulting
artisticpracticearguablycontainsdigitallyarchivableinformationaboutthe
communitythatwasobserved.Myresearchthereforemayserveasawayof
furtherexpandingonmediaarchaeologicalpracticebylinkingartand
ethnographyintothecurrentconversationonhistoryandtechnology.
2.2.2SoundStudies
Muchoftheworkthatischaracteristicofsoundarthaseithergoneoutsideorhasthecapacitytobringtheoutsideinside.” -StevenConnor(2011,p.130).
Theoriginsofsoundstudiesstemfromtwokeyfactors;theintroduction
ofnoisefromtheworldaroundusintothedevelopmentofmusic,facilitatedby
theinventionofthephonographbyThomasEdisonin1877,andachanging
sonorousenvironmentbeginningintheearly20thcentury(CoxandWarner,
2004).Thesoundsofthenaturalenvironmentchangedincrementallywiththe
adventofnewtechnologies,theindustrialrevolution,cars,andthetransitiontoa
37
morerapidpacedworld.Exploringtheuseofnoiseincompositionwasthe
entryintodeeperphilosophicalinquiryofwhatmusicis,whatsoundis,how
theyrelatetooneanother,andtheexperienceofhearingthroughcomposition.
AsDouglasKahn(2003)arguesinhisessay“TheSoundofMusic”inTheAuditory
CultureReader,“youhavetwosourcesforsounds:noise,whichalwaystellsyou
something—adoorcracking,adogbarking,thethunder,thestorm;andthenyou
haveinstruments…Musichastofindapassagebetweennoisesandinstruments”
(Kahn,2003,p.83).
Numerouscomposersfromthefirsthalfofthe20thcentury,including
LuigiRussolo,EdgardVarése,HenryCowell,JacquesAttali,andPierreSchaeffer,
wereinagreementthatallsoundswereimportantcomponentsofcomposition.
WhileRussolobelievedthatmusicandnoiseweredistinctlydifferententities,
otherslikeVarése,Cowell,andCagedevelopedcompositionalstylesthatbroke
downthesedistinctions.Inhis1929essay“TheJoysofNoise,”Cowellargued
thatnotonlyaremusicandnoisenotinoppositionwithoneanother,butthat
noiseisalreadyalwayscontainedinmusic(Cowell,2004,p.22).Similarly,
JacquesAttaliwrotethat“music,theorganizationofnoise…reflectsthe
manufactureofsociety;itconstitutestheaudiblewavebandofthevibrationsand
signsthatmakeupsociety”(Attali,1985,p.4).
In1914LuigiRussolo,whobelieved“thatthetraditionalorchestrawas
nolongercapableofcapturingtheimaginationofacultureimmersedinnoise,”
creatednewnoise-makinginstrumentshecalledintonarumori(Russolo,2004,p.
10).ComposerEdgardVarése,likeRussolo,wasinterestedincreatingnew
musicalinstrumentsthatcouldexpressadifferenttypeofsound.However,
Varésereferredtomusicas“themovementofsoundmasses,”whichremoved
38
thepreviouslyexistingdistinctionbetweenmusicandnoise(Varése,2004,p.
17).Hiscompositionsfocusedonfrequencies,intensities,andthematterof
soundincludingtimbre,texture,andmusicalspace,leadingtohisredefiningof
musicas“organizedsound.”
PierreSchaefferwasaradioengineerandannouncerwhowasfascinated
bythewayrecodingandbroadcastingchangedhowpeoplecouldhearandlisten
tosound.InfluencedbythephilosophyofEdmundHusserl,founderof
“phenomenology,”which“disregardsthetraditionalphilosophicaldistinctions
between‘subject’and‘object,’’in1966SchaefferpresentedTraitédesObjects
Musicaux(TOM),hisattemptatananalyticaltheoryforsoundbasedwork.In
TOMSchaefferarticulatesfourconceptsoflistening,1.concretemusic(musique
concrète),2.listeningfunctions,3.reducedlistening,and4.soundobjects,which
Iwillbrieflydescribehere.
AccordingtoSchaeffer,musiqueconcrètebeginsbyvaluingtheconcrete
propertiesofsounds,whichwereattainablebyreducedlistening,whichimplies
soundrecording.Theseconcretesoundsthenmovedtowardabstractstructures
inperformance.Thisapproachisincontrasttothetraditionalwestern
compositionalstyleatthetime,whichvaluedbeginningwithanabstractidea
andmovingtowardaconcreteforminitsperformance.Schaefferoftenrecorded
soundsofeverydaylife,andthroughprocessesoftechnologicalmediationand
manipulationaimedtoreduceanddiminishanyassociativepropertiesthesound
mighthavethatwouldconnectittothesourceofitscreation.Schaefferrejected
hisveryfirstcompositioninthestyle,Étudeauxcheminsdefer,becausethetrain
soundsweretoorecognizable(Kahn,2003,p.82).
39
Thefourmodesoflisteningare,Listening[Écouter],Perceiving[Ouïr],
Hearing[Entendre],andComprehending[Comprendre].Listeninginvolvesthe
recognitionoridentificationoftheeventthatproducedagivensound.
Perceivingisrecognitionofthesoundforthesounditself,withoutlookingfor
meaninginorinterpretingthesound.Hearingisrecognizingthepropertiesofa
sound,andcomprehendingentailstheunderstandingofamessagethatis
communicatedortransmittedbysound(Almeida,2014).
In1948Schaefferbroadcasthisfirstconcretemusiccomposition,entitled
“Concertdebruits,”whichwasasetofpiecescomposedentirelyfromrecordings
ofeverydayobjectsliketrainwhistlesandpotsandpans.Theideaofthemusic
objectorsoundobjectwasderivedfromSchaeffer’sstyle,as“musiqueconcréte
pullsintoitssonicnetanentirearrayofsoundsources,machines,andarchives
tocondenseallsuchthingsintoacompactmusicalobject”(LaBelle,2015,p.30).
Schaeffer’scompositionalmethod,whichaimstodisassociatesoundsfromtheir
sourceortomakethemunrecognizable,hasbeenlikenedbyDouglasKahnin
“TheSoundofMusic”tothatofanabstractpaintingthatdistortsactualmeaning.
FranciscoLopez,StephenVitiello,andJacobKirkegaardarguethatthelisteners
ofSchaeffer’sworkrelatenotsimplytothesound,“butalsotheevidenceofthe
artist’sintentionsastheymanifestinthesoundsandtheirorganization”(López
etal.,2009,p.126).
WhilePierreSchaefferhelpsusseetherelationshipbetweenrecorded
soundsandcomposition,JohnCageaddsanewdimensiontotheexplorationof
compositionbyusingsoundincompositionasameansofdefiningsonicculture.
JohnCage’scompositionalstyleofferedanewapproachtomakingmusicinthe
secondhalfofthetwentiethcentury,whichconsideredtherelationshipbetween
40
soundandmusic,andthatutilizedthefoundenvironmentasaspacefor
“renewedlisteningwithinamusicalframework”(LaBelle,2015,p.3)Cagewas
interestedincapturingandusingtherealnessofsoundintheworldaroundus,
andoftenplayedwithsoundsthatwerenottraditionallyconsideredmusical;he
composedpiecesthatdrewintoquestiontheveryessenceofwhatmusicwas.In
1937CagewroteTheFutureofMusic:Credo,whereheexpressedhisthoughts
andexcitementaboutusingsoundasacompositionaltool.Specifically,hespoke
ofmanipulatingrecordedsoundeffectsforfilms,viaafilmphonograph,to
producerhythms.Hesaid,“Withafilmphonographitisnowpossibletocontrol
theamplitudeandfrequencyofanyoneofthesesoundsandtogivetoitrhythms
withinorbeyondthereachoftheimagination”(Cage,1937,p.3).Cage’s
experimentswithsoundtooknoisesfromtheeverydayandtransformedthem
into“musicalinstruments”thatcouldbeusedtocreaterhythmsintime.
Thinkingaboutasonicculturehelpsusconceiveoftheimportanceof
relationshipsbetweensoundandculture,specificallytheactoflisteningtothe
sounds,people,andspaceofagivenplace,andthewaythosesoundssay
somethingaboutthecultureofthatplace.Furthermore,aconsiderationofthe
relationshipbetweensoundandculturecompelsustolistentoandforthe
culturebeyondthesounds—andthesilence—andintotheculturalframeworks
thatmakeuptheeverydayofagivencommunity.Aninquiryintosonicculture
helpstoprovideaconceptualframeworkforthemakingofmusic,andby
extension,creativework,aboutagivenculturethatistiedtothesoundsofthat
place.Cage’scomposition,4’33”,athreemovementcompositionforpiano,which
reliesonthepianistclosingthepianotopandtimingeachmovementinsilence,
isanexampleofhowCage’sworkisimportanttosonicculture.;thecomposition
41
becomesaboutthesoundsoftheplaceinwhichthemusicisperformed,and
silencebecomesaframethroughwhichtheaudiencebecomesawareoftheir
ownsonicculture.4’33”becomesabouttheaudienceinthespaceatthemoment
oftheperformance,aboutthemmovingintheirseats,uncomfortablyresponding
tothesilence,andaboutthesoundstheaudiencemakesbeingheardthroughthe
resonanceofthespace.ThiscompositionalsoexemplifieshowCage’s
compositionsexploredsonicculturebyexposingmusicasboththethinganda
reflectiononthething.
Cage’sworkalsobecameknownasawayofexploringanddefiningsonic
cultures.LaBellearguesthatCagedefinessonicculturethroughthewayhe
positionsmusicinrelationtosocialspace(LaBelle,2015,p.4).Cageisalso
knownforconceptuallyframingeverydaysoundsandhumaninterventionsin
thedevelopmentofmusicas“boththethingandareflectiononthething”
(LaBelle,2015,p.4).Thethingisthatwhichmakesthesound,orperhapsthe
personwhoinstigatesthemakingofthesound.Thereflectiononthethingisthe
waythatacompositionorframingofeverydaysoundsprovidesawindowinto
thatwhichmakesthesoundorthosewhoinstigatethesounds,andshapesto
someextentthewayhumansrespondtothesoundstheyhear.
Thesoniccultureofeachplaceisdifferent,andinthecaseof4’33”,the
‘silence’withineachperformancehallwillsounddifferentdependingonthe
soundstheaudiencemakes,theacoustics,ventilation,andtheabilityforoutside
soundstoenterthespace.Silence,thereforeisnotaconstantbutrather
changingvariable,dependingoneachplace.AsCagesaidinavideointerviewon
February4,1991,
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thesoundexperiencewhichIprefertoallothersistheexperienceof
silence.Andthesilencealmosteverywhereintheworldnowistraffic.If
youlistentoBeethovenortoMozartyouseetheyarealwaysthesame,
butifyoulistentotrafficyouseethatitisalwaysdifferent.(Cage,1991)6
Cage’scompositionsthereforealsosetthestagefortheconsiderationof
temporalityinmusic,andtheimportanceofacknowledgingourcontinually
changingsonicenvironments.
SchaefferandCagewereofteninspiredbythesoundsintheirnatural
environment.However,theyarebothinterestedinsoundforthesounditself
ratherthantheoriginofthesoundorthesounds’relationshiptootherthingsin
theenvironment(Lópezetal.,2009).
Musiqueconcreteequallyuncoversanentirelynewsetofmusical
possibilities,yetthroughverydifferentmeans:whereasCageaimsforthe
hereandnowofsoundbeyondthemechanicsofrepresentation,musique
concreteappropriatestechnologiesofsoundrecordingandreproduction
intheconstructingofmusicalwork.(Labelle,2015,p.4).
ForSchaeffertheexplorationandinclusionofsoundswasakeyelementofhis
compositionalpracticeandstyle,bringingfocustotheworldofsoundsaround
us,whileforCagetechnologywasakeyelementinhiscompositionalpractice,
stretchingourunderstandingofsoundandbyextensionmusic,throughthe
technologicalexplorationofsonicexpressionthatallowedustohearsounds
differently.
6YouTubeVideoofJohnCagefromFebruary4th1991https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcHnL7aS64Y
43
Intheirengagementwithsoundsfromthenaturalworld,bothcomposers
speaktotherelationshipbetweensoundsandspace.AsBrandonLaBelle(2015)
tellsusinhisbookBackgroundNoise:PerspectivesonSoundArt,bothCage’sand
Schaeffer’swork“definesonicculturebycontinuallypositioningmusic,eitherin
relationtosocialspace,asinCage’sproject,orthroughmethodsof
appropriation,electronicmanipulation,anddiffusion,inmusiqueconcréte”(pp.
3-4).
R.MurraySchafer,acomposerandtheoristwhofocusedon
environmentalsoundandnoisepollution,wasknownforhisworkon“acoustic
ecology,”whichhewroteaboutinhis1977book,TheTuningofTheWorld.
SchaferfoundedtheWorldSoundscapeProjectwiththeintentionof
documentingandanalyzingthechangesinenvironmentalsoundscapesthrough
recordingsovertime.HeandtheWorldSoundscapeProjectpopularizedthe
term“soundscape.”AspreviouslymentionedinadiscussiononArtistsandthe
Archive,R.MurraySchafercoinedthetermsoundscapein1977andarguedthat
asoundscapeisadocumentofasonicenvironmentinaparticularmomentin
time(Schafer,1977).
ForthesakeofthisthesisIlooktowardadefinitionofsoundscape
providedbyDavidSamuels,LouiseMeintjes,AnaMariaOchoa,andThomas
Porcello(2010)in“Soundscapes:TowardaSoundedAnthropology.”Sameulset
al(2010)proposethatSchafer’ssoundscapeandtheideaofalandscapewere
analogousterms,“insofarasitattemptedtocontaineverythingtowhichtheear
wasexposedinagivensonicsetting.”Furthermoretheysuggestanimplicit
relationshipbetweenthesoundscapeandculturalpractice.“Similarly,as
landscapeisconstitutedbyculturalhistories,ideologies,andpracticesofseeing,
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soundscapeimplicateslisteningasaculturalpractice”(Samuelsetal.,2010,p.
330).
IutilizeSchafer’sconceptofasoundscapeinmyattemptstosonically
exploreculturalheritage,aswellasarchiveandattempttomakerelevant
modernresponsestothesesounds.AsJonathanSternepointsout,“tothink
sonicallyistothinkconjuncturallyaboutsoundandculture”(Sterne,2012,p.3).
Theconceptofasoundscapegivesusaccesstoaparticularculturethroughan
often-unrecognizedpath;whatwemightordinarilytakeforgranted,likethe
soundsofeverydaylife,becomeimportantkeystounlockingknowledgeabout
thatculture,whichisnotreadilyvisible.Asanordinarysensoryexperience,
soundsareoftenforgottenaboutasamodeofobservation.ForthisreasonIhave
foundthatsoundcanbeapowerfultoolfordevelopingfocusandencouraging
observation,andoftentakesthelistenerbysurprisewhenheorshefirstlistens
actively.
WhileSchaferarguesforthestudyofenvironmentalacoustics,claiming,
“totalappreciationoftheacousticenvironmentcangiveustheresourcesfor
improvingtheorchestrationoftheworldsoundscape”(Schafer,1977)others
likePaulDemarinis(2011),in“OnSonicSpaces,”suggestthatit’sactuallyastudy
ofacousticsandperceptionsofsoundintheprocessofsoundrecordingthat
allowsustofindhiddenmeaningintherelationshipbetweensound,technology
andculture.ForDemarinis,soundrecordingscanbeviewedasaporthole
throughwhichtomakeconnectionsabouthumanperceptions,technologyand
culture.
AlainCorbin(1998),goesonestepbeyondPaulDemarinis’(2011)work
bysuggestingthata“soundscapeissimultaneouslyaphysicalenvironmentanda
45
wayofperceivingthatenvironment;itisbothaworldandacultureconstructed
tomakesenseofthatworld”(Corbin,1998,p.ix).SimilartoCage’sexplanation
ofsonicculture,whichImentionedearlier,Corbindescribesthesoundscapeasa
dynamictoolthatisabletoindependentlyrepresentaplace,suchasa
soundscapeofacity,andactasalensthroughwhichapersoncanexploreorre-
envisionaplacetheyarealreadyfamiliarwith.Corbin’sphilosophyisimportant
becauseitnamesthesoundscapeasatoolthatisbothcapableofcapturing
culture—inhiswords‘aworld’—andsimultaneouslyatoolthatiscapableof
reflectingonthat‘world’orculture.Corbin’selevationofsoundasamulti
dimensionaltoolforcapturingandreflecting,servesasthefoundationforhowI
attempttoengagewithsoundandsoundscapesinmyresearch.Byusing
recordingsofexpressiveculturaleventsandthencreativeartisticworkthatis
thensharedbackwiththecommunityfromwheretheexpressiveculturalevents
originate,myworkaimstocapturesoundscapesandthenreflectthembackto
thecommunitiesfromwheretheycame.
BrandonLabelle(2015)speaksofthevalueofcontextualpracticeand“site-
specificpractice”inthedevelopmentofcreativework.Hearguesthat
historicallywecanseetheimportanceandvalueofgroundingcreativeworkin
thehistoricalcontextofplaceandspace,whichiswhatIaimtodowiththe
developmentofartisticworkfromsonicfieldrecordingsofsensitiveexpressive
culture.By“sensitiveexpressiveculture,”Imeananytypeofsocialbehavior
withanaestheticdimension.SpecificallyIusethetermtorefertofestivals,
celebrations,religioustraditionsandrecitations,andperformance.Sensitive
expressiveculture,isanaspectofsocialculturethathasanaestheticdimension,
andwhichcanbedocumented.Labelleclaims:
46
Theunderstandingthatartbringswithitthepossibilitytoaddressthe
world,beyondanabstractorelusivecategory,canbeseentogain
significancethroughoutthelatterpartofthetwentiethcenturyintheform
of‘site-specificpractice’ofthelate1960sand1970sandsubsequentforms
ofcontextualpractice.Suchmethodologiesproduceartworkthat,rather
thanseparateitselffromthespaceofitspresentation,aimstoincorporate
itintothework,frommaterial,suchasarchitecturalfeatures,to
informational,asinthegoverningcuratorialpremisebehindanexhibition
orlargersocialandculturalconventions.(LaBelle,2012,p.468)
Labelle’s(2012)claimsuggeststhat“site-specificpractice”hasfar-
reachingimplicationsonthespaceinwhichitisconducted,andthatthespace
canalsohaveanimpactontheartisticworkbecause‘site-specificpractice’aims
toincorporateitselfintoaspaceratherthanseparateitselffromit.Labelle’s
claimisrelevanttomyworkparticularlywithregardtothelatterpointhemakes
that“site-specificpractice”asamethodologyhastheabilitytobringtogetherthe
artworkandplacewithinwhichitiscreatedbywayoflargersocialandcultural
conventions.ThismatterstomyworkbecauseIbringfieldrecordingsofaplace,
backtoaplaceafterre-contextualizingtheworkthroughcreativepractice.
Showcasingthecreativeworkbackinasite-specificenvironment,inmycasethe
communityfromwhichtherecordingsweretaken,isanapproachthatwould
allowmycreativeworktoagainbecomeintegrallyrelatedtothespaceandplace
fromwhichtheoriginrecordingsweretaken,andwouldallowthenewcreative
worktobecomere-connectedandincorporatedintothecommunity.Imight
arguethatdisplayingthecreativeworkbackwithinthecommunitywherethe
ethnographicresearchwasconductedmakestheworkrelevanttothe
community.
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BuildingonAlainCorbin’s(1998)work,EmilyThompson(2002)argues
thatasoundscapeplaysaroleinalistener’srelationshiptotheirenvironment
andthatasoundscapehasmoretodowithcivilizationthannature,which
supportsherassertionthatsoundscapesareconstantlyundergoingchange
(Thompson,2002).
AsIdiscussfurtherinthethreecasestudies,oneofmyoverarching
reasonsformakingfieldrecordingsanddevelopingsoundscapesorsound
installationartfromthoserecordingsismydesiretohelpsustaincultural
heritageinagivenmomentintime.Myworkthereforeacknowledges,as
Thompson(2002)suggests,thatsoundscapesareconstantlyundergoingchange,
andthatitisthereforeimportantandvaluabletocaptureanddocumentagiven
soundscapeinagivenmomentintime.For,asDemarinis(2011)suggests,each
recordingwillcontainauniquearchaeologicalguidetotherelationships
betweenpeople,sounds,culture,andtechnology.Hence,myworkfocuseson
creatingsoundscapesthatacommunitycaninteractwith,aswellas
simultaneouslyreflectingonthevalueofcapturingthesoundscapeandthat
interactionasasnapshotorarchaeologicalguidetothatplaceinthatmomentin
time.
Numerousauthorshavearguedthatthechangingenvironmental
soundscapeoftheworldprecipitatedchangesinlistening(seeRussolo(1913),
Thompson(2002),Corbin(1998),Schafer(1977),andLaBelle(2015)for
examples).However,otherauthorshavesuggestedthattheabilityandpractice
ofrecordingsoundsisresponsibleforwhatwehear(seeforexampleDemarinis
(2011),Lucier(1979),andFurlong(1994).Inhis1977essay“TheSoundscape,”
Schaferarguesthatitisapre-occupationwiththeworldsoundscape,motivated
48
heavilybyariseinnoisepollution,andaninterestinthe“relationshipbetween
humanityandthesoundsofitsenvironment”(Schafer,1977,p.3),thatgoverns
manyrelatedareasofstudyinthesciencesandhumanitiesofthetime,including
psychoacoustics,otology,auralpatternperception,andnoiseabatement
practices.Demarinis,aswell,referencesearlyphonographer’sexperiencesof
listeningbacktorecordingsonfoilandwaxcylindersastheoriginofsoundart,
soundscape,soundsculptureandsounddesign.Heexplainsthatwhen
phonographersrecordedonesound,threecouldbeheard.Thefirstwasthe
sounditself,thesecondwasinadvertentsoundsoftheenvironment,andthe
thirdwasthesoundoftherecorderormachinenoise(DeMarinis,2011,p.74).
Thelasttwosounds,environmentandmachinenoise,alsogavewaytowhatwas
laterreferredtobyPaulDeMarinisassurfacenoise,orchannelnoise,an
indicationthatrecordingwashappening.This,inturn,pavedthewayforan
understandingofanewtypeofsilence,recordedsilence,whichbecamethefocus
ofmanycomposersinthe1970’s,mostpopularly,asIdiscussedpreviouslyin
thissection,JohnCage.
2.2.3SoundArt
Overthecourseofthepastforty-fiveyears,SoundArthasemergedasa
newareaofartisticexploration.Numerousauthorshavearguedforandagainst
theexistenceofadistinctivecategoryofart-makingcalled“SoundArt”(seefor
exampleFurlong(1994),Lander(1990),Cox(2006),Neuhaus(2000),andLicht
(2007).Manyscholarsandcomposers,includingSternes(2012),Thompson
(2002),Furlong(1994),andLaBelle(2015)agreeonthemeritsandpossibilities
49
oftheartform,whichoftenreliesontheprocessofusingrecordingsofeveryday
noisesorsoundtodevelopartisticwork.Inhis1994essay,“SoundinRecent
Arts,”WilliamFurlongwritesaboutthecreativebenefitstousingsoundasan
artisticmedium:“thisfailureofsoundtoconstructadistinctcategoryforitself
hasinfactprovedanadvantage,giventhatcategoriesintheendbecome
restrictiveandtheworkcircumscribedandmarginalized”(Furlong,1994,p.
128).HisstatementisconsistentwithSchaferandSterne,whohighlightthe
experimentalandexplorativenatureofworkingwithsoundaspartoftheappeal
ofthefield.AsFurlongclaims,“Theattractionfortheartistofworkingwith
recordedsoundnodoubtresidedinitscharacteristicofmaintaininganintegrity
withregardtotherelationshipbetweenthemomentofrecordingandthe
subsequenthearing”(Furlong,1994,p.128).Thistensionbetweenattemptingto
maintaintheintegrityoftheoriginalsoundandcreatingsomethingnewwithit
isattheheartoftheactivistintentionsandethicalconsiderationsbehindthis
dissertation.AsIdiscussmorefullyinmychapterontheTheyyamFestivalfor
example,thetensionbetweentherecordedsoundandwhatisheardallowsfor
theworkofshiftingawareness,asIattempttomakelistenershearandthink
differentlyaboutcasteissuesthroughthedevelopmentofsoundscapes.
Inhisessay“SoundArt?”MaxNeuhaus(2000)arguesratherstronglythat
soundart,whichbeganintheearly1970’s,wasnottrulyanewgenreorareaof
artbutratherbecameawayofclassifyingartbasedonamedium.Hesaid,“I
thinkweneedtoquestionwhetherornot‘SoundArt’constitutesanewartform”
(Neuhaus,2000,p.1).Hearguesthatthisapproachtoexploringsoundis
reductiveandunfortunatelymissesrealopportunityintheexplorationofthe
sonic.Hesays,“inart,themediumisnotoftenthemessage…muchofwhathas
50
beencalled‘SoundArt’hasnotmuchtodowitheithersoundorart”(Neuhaus,
2000,p.1).TenyearsbeforeNeuhaus’scritique,DanLander(1990)suggested
thattheartofsoundcouldnotbeeasilyidentifiedbecauseofsound’shistoric
tiestomusic,statingthat“ifacriticaltheoryofsound(noise)istodevelop,the
urgeto‘elevateallsoundtothestateofmusic’,willhavetobesuppressed”
(Lander,1990,p.11).ChristopherCox(2011)echoedthissamesentimentinhis
essay“FromMusictoSound,”whereheargues,“howeverrichandimportant
werethereconceptionsofsonicbeingandtimeundertakenbyFeldman,
minimalism,experimentalmusic,improvisedmusic,andDJculture,they
remainedsomehowboundtothediscourseandpracticeofmusic”(Cox,2011,p.
8).Thetensioninherentinformalizingarelationshipbetweenmusicandsound,
ornoise,continuesinmyresearchasrecordingsofreligiousfestivalsand
traditionsbringanadditionallayerofcomplexityintotheequation.Recordings
oftraditionalrecitationsthatarenotconsideredtobemusicalwithinagiven
communitymaybeconsideredmusicalfromtheperspectiveofamusicianor
listeneroutsideofthatparticularculture.Myresearchconsidersthese
recordingsassoundrecordingsofreligiousevents,andthendevelopscomposed
soundscapeswiththeserecordingsthatattempttobothhonorthesacrednature
ofthesound,whilesimultaneouslyseparatinglisteners’previousassociations
withthesoundinorderforthemtohearthesoundsnewly.
DanLander(1990)arguesthatsoundarthasuniquepotentialbecauseof
itsreproducibility,whileotherslikeCox(2011)in“FromMusictoSound,”
Neuhaus(1992)inhispermanentinstallation“TimesSquare,”andAlvinLucier
51
inhisfamous1969recordingIamsittinginaroom7,suggestthatit’ssoundart’s
focusonissuesoftimeandspacethatmakeitrelevantandimportant.Lander
describedwhathefeltwerethepotentialmeritsheimaginedsoundartcould
bring.Specifically,hereflectsonthewaysoundartcanblendandbendnotions
oftimeandspacewithregardtoexhibitingordisplayingsoundwork.Heargued
thatsoundhasuniquepotentialtothatofpaintingsorsculptures,inthatthe
workitselfcanbereproducedontapeanddistributedtomultiplelocations,
allowingtheworkitselftobeexperiencedinmultipleplacessimultaneously.
Reflectingonhissoundinstallationwork,Neuhaussaidinaninterview,“the
importantideaaboutthiskindofworkisthatit’snotmusic.Itexistsintime.I’ve
takensoundoutoftimeandmadeitintoanentity”(Neuhaus,2002).Cox(2011)
furtherclarifiesthedistinctionbetweenmusicandthesubjectofsoundartby
arguingthat“therealdistinctionisbetweentwokindsoftime:pulsedtime(the
timeofmusicandmeaning)andnon-pulsedtimeorduration(thetimeofsound
matteritself)”(Cox,2011,p.10).
WhileLander(1990),Cox(2011),Furlong(1994),andNeuhaus(1992)
helpusseehowtimeandspacearekeyelementsintheemergenceofsoundart,
BrandonLaBelle(2015)addstotheunderstandingofsoundartasadistinctive
categorythroughhisarticulationsofthehistoricmovementaway“fromthetime
ofsound,andtowardsitsspatiallocation”(LaBelle,2015,p.151).InBackground
Noise:PerspectivesonSoundArt,LaBellewritesabouthowthedevelopmentof
InstallationArtinthelate1960’sandearly1970’shelpedtofurtherorientsound
artasadistinctiveartform:“thedevelopmentsofsoundinstallationprovidea
*7InAlvinLucier’s1969recordingofIamsittinginaRoom,Lucierreadsatextaloudinaroomwhilerecordingit,thenwhileplayingtherecordingbackintheroomherecordstheplayback.Hethenrepeatedthisprocess.
52
heightenedarticulationofsoundtoperformasanartisticmedium,making
explicit‘soundart’asauniqueandidentifiablepractice”(LaBelle,2015,p.151).
Hearguesthatthespatialandenvironmentalelementsofsoundleadtothe
popularizationofsoundinstallation,whichplacedthelistenerinsideofaspace
createdfromsoundsthatwerefoundandrecordedintheeverydayworld.
LaBellegoesontoprovideaworkingdefinitionofsoundinstallation,claiming
thatit“bringstogethersoundandspaceinaprovocativeandstimulating
manner,oftenappropriatingarchitecturalelementsandconstruction,social
events,environmentalnoise,andacousticaldynamics,inandoutofthegallery,
whiledrawinguponmusicalunderstanding”(Labelle,2015,p.151).LaBellealso
suggeststhatInstallationArtinspiredtheintegrationofvisualandsonic
materials,asisexemplifiedinworksbysoundartistslikeMaxNeuhaus.
Combiningvisualandsonicmaterialsallowsforanon-immediate
associationbetweentheaudience’sauralsensibilityandtheirvisualawareness,
whichisverydifferentfromthatexperiencedwhenwatchingafilm,wherethe
visualandsonicareintertwined.Humansarebettertrainedatreceivingvisual
stimuli,andasaresultmakesenseofthevisualmoreeasilythanthesonic.For
thisreason,combiningvisualandsonicmaterialallowstheaudiencememberto
makemeaningofthesoundscapemoreeasily,becausetheycanusetheirmore
familiarvisualsensetoguidethem.AsIshowinmycasestudychaptersinthis
dissertation,creatingexhibitsthatcombinevisualandsonicmaterialsallowed
metopresentanaudiencewithcomplexsonicmaterialthatservedasa
commentaryonculturalassumptionsthatmaynothaveotherwisebeen
understood.Insomecases,thesesoundscapesincorporatedunrealisticsounds,
oreditedandmanipulatedversionsofthenaturalsoundstoanextentthatthey
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maynothavebeeneasilyidentifiedasrelatedtotheirnaturalsoundsource,if
thevisualshadnotbeeninplace.
In1969Schafercreatedtheterm“schizophonia,”whichdescribesthe
purposefuldislocationofasoundfromitsoriginornaturalenvironment,andcan
alsomeanachangeinthetimeoramplitudeofarecordedsound,forexample
theamplifiedreproductionofasoundinitsnaturalenvironment.Theterm
comesfromtheGreekprefix“schizo,”meaning,“split”or“separated,”and
“phono,”meaning,“sound.”Schaferintentionallycreatedanamethatcarriedan
anxioustone,inordertocallattentiontothefactthat,ashebelieved,theworld’s
soundscapehasbecomepolluted,andthatlearningtoun-hearsoundsiscritical
tothefutureofmusiccreation.Schizophoniawassymptomaticofthe
developmentofsoundrecordingandtransmissiontechnologies,whichmadeit
possibleforasoundtooriginateinoneplaceandbetransmittedtoanother.A
musicalperformanceorpoliticalspeechcouldtakeplacefarfromone’shome,
butcouldbelistenedtoinone’slivingroomontheradio.Infact,in1969Schafer
wroteabookentitledTheNewSoundscape:AHandbookfortheModernMusic
Teacher,wherehesuggeststhattheexistenceoftechnologyhasmadelistening
tomusicliveanunfamiliarexperienceformany.Furthermore,forSchafer,
listenersarethatmuchfurtherawayfromanoriginalsoundexperiencewhen
theylistentoarecordingofitbecauserecordingisalwaysaformoftranslation
oftheoriginal.AsSchaferhighlights,“…norecordingisanexactreproductionof
livingsound.Distortionsareintroducedinbothitsproductionanditsplayback”
(Schafer,1969,p.45).
Iemployaschizophonicapproachtosoundscapedevelopmentinmy
researchbyrecordingarchivalsounds,andthenmanipulatingthosesoundsinan
54
efforttobringelementsofthesocialenvironmenttotheforefront.AsAndrewJ.
Eisenberg(2015)tellsusinKeywordsinSound,“Schaferiansoundscape-related
conceptshavealsobeenoperationalizedinsocioculturalanalysis,particularlyin
ethnomusicology(Eisenberg,2015,p.197).ThisaspectofSchafer’s
compositionalphilosophybecomesausefultoolfortheworkof
ethnomusicology,whichderivessocialmeaningandculturalunderstandingfrom
musicalandsonicelementsofaculture,becauseitallowsethnomusicologiststo
explorethesoundscapesofacultureholistically,whichcanrevealimportant
insightsthattheexplorationofindividualsoundsofaculturemaynot.Inmy
research,Idrawonthewaysinwhichethnomusicologistsexploresonic
environmentsthroughsocialandculturalanalysis.Schafer’sconceptofthe
soundscapeasatranslationorreproductionoftheoriginal,informsthewayin
whichIcallattentiontotheelementsoftranslationandinterpretationin
recordingbydevelopingcreativeworkfromthatsoundscapeandusingthat
creativeworktohelpmedocumentandunderstandtheculturesIamobserving
andparticipatingin.
Schafer’sconceptof“schizophonia”isusefulintalkingaboutsoundscape
andsoundartinstallationworkbecauseifweunderstandrecordedsoundasa
crucialcomponentofsoundscapesandakeybuildingblockindevelopingsonic
environments,ratherthansimplythereplicationofasound,thenwecan
understandutilizingfieldrecordingsofsoundscapesasaninherently
schizophonicprocessinthattherecordingsofasoundenvironmenthavebeen
splitfromthatenvironmentthroughtheactofrecording,andthenagainwhen
theyareputintoagalleryorinstallationenvironmentseparatefromthesource
ofthesound.InmyownworkonsoundscapedesignfortheTheyyamandSonic
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Storyboardprojects,usingfieldrecordingsinaschizophoniccontextiscrucialto
theartisticdevelopmentofaworkthataimstochallengethewaypeoplehear
soundsthatarefamiliartothemandwhichoriginateintheirfamiliar
environments.TheseinstallationsbuildonSchafer’snotionoftheschizophonic
inthattheresultingsoundscapesaimtoseparatesoundsfromtheirnatural
environmentsandre-contextualizetheminagalleryenvironmenttargeted
towardpeoplewhoarefromorfamiliarwithhearingtheliveambientsoundsin
theirnaturalenvironment.Thedevelopmentofsoundscapeinmyworkisakinto
EmilyThompson’sredefinitionofsoundscapeas“simultaneouslyaphysical
environmentandawayofperceivingthatenvironment”(Thompson,2002,p.1).
ThesoundscapesIcreaterelyonschizophonictechniquesasawayoffiltering
theaudience’sexperienceofacommonsound,sothattheycanhearitfresh.As
AndyEisenbergsuggests,schizophoniahaspreviouslybeenusedinthisway,
particularlybyethnomusicologists,to“provideawayofthinkingaboutthe
relationshipsbetweenemplacementandsocialorientation,particularlyin
contextsofsocialstruggleandtransformation”(Eisenberg,2015,p.198).
Becauseoftheirdisruptivenature,schizophonicsoundscapes,then,havethe
potentialtobepowerfulagentsofsocialchange,intheircapacitytohighlight
nuancedaswellasdramaticdisturbancestoanotherwisefamiliarsoundscape,
whichcanhelpbringfocusedattentionthroughsonicdisruption.AsIdiscuss
morefullyinthecasestudychapters,myexperiencesworkingwiththeTheyyam
artistsinKeezhara,aswellastheLestWeForgetProject,haveallowedmetosee
howcapturingsoundscapesandre-contextualizingthemforthecommunity
fromwheretheycame,inordertohighlightasocialissueornuancedidea,
allowsforthecommunity’sresponsetotherevisedsoundscapetobecomean
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importantartifactofthatcommunity,inthatmomentintime.AsStevenConnor
states,“Soundart…hastypicallysoughttoexpandbeyondthegallery,to
ventilatethegallerywiththesoundsofwhatliesoutsideit,ortotemporalize
place”(Connor,2003,p.50).
InthespiritofStevenConnor’sessay(2003),“EarsHaveWalls,”my
dissertationisanattempttoexplorethewaysthatrecordedsoundscanbe
manipulatedintosoundscapesandputinconversationwithcommunitiesfrom
wherethesoundsoriginate,inordertoexploreacommunity’srelationshipwith
thatsonicenvironmentandsocialandculturalissuesofthetime.Inadditionmy
workreliesoncreativeprocesstotemporalizeamomentinthatcommunity’s
historythatcancontributetoitssustainability.Myresearchlookstoward
approachesinsoundstudiesthathaveactivistpotential,likethatofschizophonic
soundscapedevelopment,tofusecreativeapproachesinsoundscape
developmentwithethnomusicologicalanddigitalethnographytechniques.The
intendedoutcomeisthedevelopmentofartisticworkrootedinscholarly
inquiry,andscholarlyworkthatreliesonartisticpractice.Theresulting
researchisasinterestedinthesocialandculturalframeworksofagiven
community,asitiswiththepowerofthecreativeprocesstoactivatechange.
Thereisaninnaterelationshipbetweentheexplorationofculturethrough
ethnographyandourabilitytounderstandculturethroughart.Myresearch
attemptstoexplorethatconnection.
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2.2.4ArtsResearch PeterWeiss(2005)firstdevelopedtheterm‘artisticresearch’inhisbook,
AestheticsofResistance.ScholarslikeFlorianDombois,UteMetaBauer,Claudia
Mareis,andMichaelSchwab(2012)agreethatartisticresearchisanattitudeand
notamethodordiscipline.Intheirrecentbook,IntellectualBirdhouse:Artistic
PracticeasResearch,theyarguethatartisticresearchcantranscenddivisions
thatareoftenerectedbetweendisciplines.“Webelievethatartisticresearch
shouldnotbeseenasadisciplineoratopic,norisitreallyamethod.Forus,itis
anattitude,aperspective,amanner“(Domboisetal.,2012,p.11).Their
argumentcomesalmost20yearsafterscholarslikeFrayling(1993)andSeago
(1995)madeimportantcontributionstothedevelopmentofthestudyofartistic
researchbyexploringmethodologicalapproachesrelevantforartistic
scholarship.
Dombois,Bauer,Maries,andSchwab(2012)representthecurrenttrend
inconversationsaboutartsbasedresearchwhereartisticpracticeisvaluedas
researchnotforitsmethodologiesoralignmentwithresearchinscientific
disciplines,butratherfortheuniquecontributionsofcreativeresearch,which
areoftenabsentwithinotherdisciplines.Dombois,etal.,maketheargumentthat
theartisticpractitionerasresearcherisabletobeeffectiveinconductinghybrid
researchthatoverlapsvaryingdisciplines,andwhichdoesnotprioritize
disciplinaryallegianceaspartofitsinquiryoranalysis.Theystate,
Afterreadingthisvolume,itseemstousthatartisticresearchisanactivity
forborder-crosserswho,whennegotiatingfrontiers,carryouttheirresearch
somewhatdifferentlyfromthosewhoexpandknowledgebyinflatingknown
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territoriesorbyregisteringanewclaiminthehopethattheywillstrikegold
whilekeepingothersout.(Domboisetal.,2012,p.11)
Thisdissertationisanattempttowriteascholarlyresearchpaperabout
artisticpracticeasresearch,whichtranscendsseveraldisciplinarydivides,and
drawsonthesedisciplines’coremethodologiesandideasasawayofgrounding
myresearch.
Someauthors,whoarguefortheimportanceandvalidityofartisticresearch
asaviableformofanalysisandinquiry,focusonthemethodologicalapproaches
bestsuitedforartspracticebasedresearch.BelowIwillfurtherdiscussthe
ideasofChristopherFrayling(1994)PeterDallow(2003),AnthonyDunne
(1999),andAlexSeago(1995).However,otherauthorshavesuggestedthat
artisticresearchisanattituderatherthanamethodordiscipline.BelowIwill
furtherdiscusstheideasofPeterWeiss(2005),andFlorianDombois,UteMeta
Bauer,ClaudiaMareis,andMichaelSchwab(2012).Iwilldiscussin-depththe
meritsandapplicabilityofthesescholars’ideastothefield,andmyresearch.
PeterDallow(2003)arguesthatartsbasedresearchmethodsneedtobe
thoughtoflikescientificmethods,ascriticaltotheexpansionofartisticthought.
ChristopherFrayling(1994),ontheotherhand,inResearchinArtandDesign,
andAlexSeago(1995),inResearchMethodsforMPhil&PhDStudentsinArtand
Design:ContrastsandConflicts,suggestthatit’snotcomparingartsbased
researchtootherformsofresearchbutratherquestioningtheverynatureofthe
conceptofresearchthatismostcriticaltosupportingstudent’sartisticpractice.
Whenresearchisthoughtofcriticallyasatoolinsupportofinquiry,thena
discussionofhowartisticpracticecanbestserveasatoolforcreativeinquiry
canbesthappen,andapproachestodoingsocanbeidentified.UnlikeFrayling,
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whoarguesthatascribingtheconceptofresearchtotheartsisfundamentallya
politicalmovebearingnobenefitsforthearts,Seagosuggeststhattheconceptof
researchintheartsisimportantandartsbasedresearchersshoulddeveloptheir
ownuniquemethodologiesformakingartratherthanlookingtowardscientific
methodologicalapproachesasaguideforhowcriticalinquiryshouldhappenin
thearts.FraylingandSeago’scontributionshavebeencrucialtochangingthe
discourseaboutartsbasedresearch,fromacomparisontoscientific,social
scientific,andhumanistresearchapproachesandmethods,toonethatattempts
togainlegitimacyfortheartstoselfdefinewhattheycreateandhow.Stillwhat
ismissingfromtheresearchonartsbasedpracticemethodsisanapproachthat
cansitwithinamoretraditionaldiscourseaswellasoutsideofit.Meaningaway
ofutilizingtraditionalmethodologicalpracticetolegitimizeartisticresearch,
whilefindingapproachestodevelopingartisticresearchmethodsthattruly
supportartisticresearch,ratherthanstiflethedevelopmentofartistic
scholarship.Whatisneededisanapproachthatcombinesthefree-thinkingnon-
researchorientationofFrayling’sapproachwiththeartscenteredmethodology
designofSeagos,essentiallyamethodthatdoesnotdefineitselfasresearchin
thetraditionalsenseandthatiscrafteduniquelytotheneedsofarts
practitionersforthepurposesofhavingamethodologythatcanlivebothwithin
andoutsideofanacademicsettingthatsupportsthedevelopmentofartistic
work,butwhichdoesnotlimitthatworktotheprocessormethodthrough
whichitismade.
InRepresentingCreativeness:Practice-BasedApproachestoResearchin
CreativeArts,PeterDallow(2003)discussestheimportanceofdefiningaplace
forpractice-basedartresearchwithinthemoretraditionalcanonofscientific,
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humanitarian,andsocialscienceresearch.Dallowarguesthatpractice-based
researchiscriticalfortheevolutionandexpansionofartisticthoughtandthe
movement,tyingresearchintheartstothemoretraditionalscientificmodelof
research,wherebytheaimofnewresearchistomakecontributionstothefield
ofscience,inhismodelitisforresearchintheartstomakecontributionstothe
fieldofart.Dallow’sthesisiswidelyechoedbyscholarslikeSeago(1995)and
Dunne(1999),whofocusonteachingmethodologicalpracticestoarts-based
practices;howevertherearescholars,suchasChristopherFrayling(1994),who
wouldarguethatthereareinherentcontradictionsintryingtoapplyamore
traditionalmethodologicalapproachlikethatusedinthesciencestothe
practice-basedarts,andthathavingamethodologicalfocusshouldnotbethe
aimforpractitionersintheArts.
InhispaperResearchinArtandDesign,Frayling(1994)arguesthatwithin
theacademytherearemanycontradictoryviewsaboutthevalueofartspractice
asresearch,citingtheexampleoffamousartisticpractitionersreceiving
honorarydoctoratesfortheircreativeworksfromuniversitiesthatdonotoffer
PhDsinthepracticalarts.FraylingpointstodistinctionsbetweentheOxford
EnglishDictionary’sdefinitionofresearchwithalittle“r,”meaning‘theactof
searchingcloselyorfully,andResearchwithabig“R,”meaning‘workdirected
towardstheinnovation,introduction,andimprovementofproductsand
processes.’Heconcludes,“thatpriortotheturnofthecenturytheword
researchcarriednospecificscientificmeaning–indeeditpredatedthedivision
ofknowledgeintoartsandsciences”(Frayling,1994,p.1).Fraylingbringsinto
questionthemotivationtocallarts-basedpractice,research;assertingthatin
thisdayandagethewordresearchoftenhasmoreofapoliticalthanpractical
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meaning.Hestates,“True,researchhasbecomeapoliticalorresourceissue,as
muchasanacademicone…Researchhasbecomeastatusissue,asmuchasa
conceptualorevenpracticalone”(Frayling,1994,p.5).Sowhydoesitseemthat
withinthepracticebasedartsthereisanimperativetoshoworprovethevalue
ofartsbasedpracticeasresearch?Lookingatmyownresearch,Iamawareof
thepullFraylinghighlights—toidentifymethodstolegitimizemyownartsbased
workasvaluableresearchthatcontributestotheexpansionofknowledgewithin
myfield.However,notallartistsfeelasimilaraffinityorpulltowardneedingto
provethevalidityoftheirartisticworkthroughtheframeofscholarlyresearch.
InResearchMethodsforMPhil&PhDStudentsinArtandDesign:Contrasts
andConflicts,authorAlexSeago(1995)relatestheexperiencesofhisartsand
designstudentswithinhismethodologiescourse.Henotesthatmanyarts
studentsinPhDprogramshavelittletonobackgroundinmethodologiesand
initiallyrejectthearea,astraditionalmethodologicalapproachesfeelnarrow
andlimiting,whichisinherentlycontradictorytotheirvaluesofcreative
practice.Seagorecognizesthattraditionalmethodologiesoftenarenotwell
suitedtoartsbasedpracticeandquestionsthebestwayforward:
Thisraisesepistemologicalquestionsaboutwhetherresearchersinartand
designshouldadoptandadaptmethodologiesdevelopedinotheracademic
disciplinesorwhethertheyshouldconcentrateupondevelopingunique
andoriginalmethodologicaltechniqueswhichrecognizethedistinctive
qualityofdiscoveryofartanddesign.(Seago,1995,p.5)
Seago’sresearchsuggeststhattraditionalmethodologyisnotthebestway
forwardforresearchrootedinartsbasedpracticeandinfact,relyingonsuch
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traditionalframeworksbecomesincrediblylimitingtothestudent’spotentialfor
creativediscoveryintheirownresearch.
However,hebelievesandhighlightsthecriticalroleofmethodological
critiqueinconductingoriginalresearchworkinthearts.“Itisparticularly
germaneforstudentstounderstandthecruciallinkbetweenmethodological
critiques,thedevelopmentofhypothesesandthecollectionofdataviathe
researcher’schosenmethodology”(Seago,1995,p.5).ThereforeSeagobelieves
heavilyintheimportanceofidentifyingordevelopingamethodologywithin
whichtorootone’sartsbasedresearch,andhedrawscorrelationsbetweenthe
scientificmethodofdevelopingahypothesisandcollectingdataviaa
methodologicalapproach.Hedoeshowever,notbelievethatrelyingona
scientificmethodoramethoddevelopedforuseinadisciplineotherthanthe
artsencouragesthebestresearchworkinartanddesign.
AsSeagoandDunne(1999)tellusintheirpaper,“NewMethodologiesin
ArtandDesignResearch:TheObjectasDiscourse,”researchersintheartsand
designareoftenperplexedwhenlearningabouttraditionalmethodological
approachesastheirownworkdoesnotneatlyfitintotheseapproaches:
Thedangerinthisisthatperplexedresearchersinartanddesignwilloptto
playitsafeand,ratherthanriskingthedevelopmentanddefenseofreally
originalhypothesisandmethodologiescharacteristicof‘fundamental’
researchwork,willchoose(andbeadmittedintoartschoolresearch
programsbecausetheyhavechosen)academicallyacceptableand
supervisableresearchtopicswithmethodologiesculledfromestablished
academicdisciplines.(SeagoandDunne,1999,p.11)
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Thisoutcomeisindirectconflictwiththenotionoforiginalartsresearchthat
lookstowardthecreativeprocessasafoundationfromwhichtodevelop
questionsandanalyticalinquiry.
Dombois,Bauer,Mareis,andSchwab’s(2012)conceptof“artistic
research”todescribeanapproachandattitudetothedevelopmentofartis
usefulbecauseitaimstodescribetheprocessofinquiryandanalysiseach
artisticpiecesundergoesintheprocessofdevelopment.Ifweunderstandartas
acrucialentrypointintoone’sintellectualanalysis,ratherthansimplyacreative
outcome,thenactivelyengagingwithartists’workbecomesawaytoenterand
understandanewattitudetowardknowledge.Inmyownworkondeveloping
soundartprojectsthatattempttocaptureacurrentmomentintime—toward
thelargergoalofsustainingacommunity’sculturalheritage—creatingthese
soundscapesbecomesbothanartifactoftheintellectualprocessoffusingsound
withhistoricalmemory,aswellasarepresentationofacreativeprocessthat
considerssoundart,ethnography,andarchivingasrelatabledisciplinesthat
haveimportantthingstosharewithoneanother.Developingsoundartforthe
sustainabilityofculturalheritage,then,becomesanimportantbridgebetween
activismthroughart,andstudyingculturesandcommunitiesthroughsound.
2.3SectionThree:EthnographicResearch
2.3.1Ethnography
Ihaveusedethnographicmethodstocollectthedatainthisresearch.Eachof
thethreecasestudiesinthisdissertationreliesonengagementwitha
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community,observationofexpressiveculturalpractices,andfieldrecordings
takeninthesecommunities.Iwilldiscusshowinsomecases,suchastheLestWe
Forgetproject,myrelationshiptothecommunitywasdevelopedoveranumber
ofyears,andintheSonicStoryboardProject,relationshipswithmembersofa
communityweredevelopedoverafewminutes.Inalltherelationships
however,conversationswiththemembersofeachcommunityheavilyinformed
thedirectionofmywrittenandartisticresearch.
Theoriginsofethnographycomefrom19thcenturyWesternAnthropology,
whereitwasseenascomplementarytoethnology,thecomparativestudyofnon-
Westerncultures.(HammersleyandAtkinson,2007).Ethnologywasconsidered
thecoreofanthropologicalworkandwasusuallyconductedbymissionariesand
travellers,notanthropologists;howeverovertimeanthropologistsbegan
conductingtheirownfieldwork,andintimethetermethnologywasless
commonlyused.Ethnographycametomeanthe“theintegrationofbothfirst-
handempiricalinvestigationandthetheoreticalandcomparativeinterpretation
ofsocialorganizationandculture(HammersleyandAtkinson,2007,p.1).Inthe
earlytwentiethcentury,anthropologicalethnographybecameoneofthemodels
ofresearchadoptedbyWesternsociology,andinthefirsthalfofthetwentieth
century,sociologistsattheUniversityofChicagopopularized‘casestudy’an
approachtostudyinghumansociallifethatwasdevelopedoutofethnography.
Inthesecondhalfofthetwentiethcenturyethnographicpracticespreadinto
otherdisciplinesandfromtheUnitedStatestootherpartsoftheworld.
(HammersleyandAtkinson,2007).
In1996,GregoryBarzandTimothyCooleywroteShadowsinTheField:New
PerspectivesforFieldworkinEthnomusicology,inwhichtheydefined
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ethnographyasthe“observationofandthedescription(orrepresentation)of
culturalpractices…Fieldworkistheobservationalandexperientialportionofthe
ethnographicprocess…Fieldworkdistinguishesethnographicallybased
disciplinesfromotherapproachesinthehumanities,andsocialsciences”(Barz
andCooley,2008,p.4).Inotherwordstheethnographicprocessentails
conductingobservationalfieldworkwithinacommunityandthendescribingthe
expressiveculturalpracticesyouobserve.
HammersleyandAtkinson(2007)movedawayfromadefinitionthatplaced
disciplinesinrelationtoethnography,andinsteaddefinedethnographylargely
byfocusingonwhatethnographersdo,recognizingthatthetermethnography
canvaryinitsmeaningandisnotusedinastandardfashion.Theyhighlightthat
whileethnographyiscomplexanditisdifficulttogiveonedefinitionthat
capturesallofitsmeaning,thisisnotunusual.HammersleyandAtkinson
outlinefivefeaturesthatethnographicworkusuallycontains.Thesefeaturesare
summarizedasfollows.
1.People’sactionsandaccountsarestudiedineverydaycontexts,rather
thanunderconditionscreatedbytheresearcher.2.Dataaregathered
fromarangeofsourcesincludingdocumentaryevidenceofvariouskinds,
butparticipantobservationand/orrelativelyinformalconversationsare
usuallythemainones.3.Datacollectionis,forthemostpart,relatively
‘unstructured’.4.Thefocusisusuallyonafewcases,generallyfairly
small-scale,perhapsasinglesettingorgroupofpeople.And5.The
analysisofdatainvolvesinterpretationofthemeanings,functions,and
consequencesofhumanactionsandinstitutionalpractices,andhowthese
areimplicatedinlocal,andperhapsalsowidercontexts.”(Hammersley&
Atkinson,2007,p.3).
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KarenO’Reilly(2012)offersadefinitionofethnographythatdiffersfrom
BarzandCooley(2008)andHammersleyandAtkinson(2007)inthatshe
focusesontheprocessofthepracticeofethnography.Inherbook,Ethnographic
Method,O’Reillyposits,“thatethnographyisapracticethatevolvesindesignas
thestudyprogresses;involvesdirectandsustainedcontactwithhumanbeings,
inthecontextoftheirdailylives,overaprolongedperiodoftime;drawsona
familyofmethods,usuallyincludingparticipantobservationandconversation;
respectsthecomplexityofthesocialworld;andthereforetellsrich,sensitiveand
crediblestories”(O’Reilly,2012,p.3).SarahPink,HeatherHorst,JohnPostill,
LarissaHjorth,TaniaLewis,andJoTacchi(2016)considerO’Reilly’sapproachto
ethnographyforitsapplicationtoadigitalethnographicworld.While
incorporatingO’Reilly’sdefinition,theypositthatethnographyis:“iterative-
inductiveresearch(thatevolvesindesignthroughthestudy),drawingona
familyofmethods…thatacknowledgestheroleoftheoryaswellasthe
researcher’sownrolethatviewshumansaspartobject/partsubject”(Pink,
2016,p.3).O’Reilly’sdefinitionallowsfortheethnographicresearchtoserveas
atoolintheidentificationanddevelopmentofamethodologicalapproachforthe
research,whichveryimportantlyallowstheprocessofresearchwithina
particularcommunitytoinformtheresearchprocess,andtoimpacttheresearch
byallowingitsfocusanddirectiontoebbandflowwiththeethnographic
findings.Thisapproachmoreaccuratelyrepresentsthetypeofethnographic
practiceIaspiretoward,andisinlinewiththeethnographiccasestudiesyou
willreadaboutinthispaper.
Ethnographygenerallytakesitstheoreticalbasefromthehomediscipline
oftheresearcher,whousestheirdisciplinarytheoriesinconversationwith
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ethnographicmaterials.Inthisdissertation,IwillspecificallyhighlightDigital
Ethnography,astrandofethnographicpractice,asthemethodologicalapproach
Iuse,particularlyforitsopennessinlinkingethnographyandtheory,andnot
assumingoneparticulardisciplinarytheoreticalframework(Pinketal.,2015).
Ratherthanrelyingstrictlyonethnomusicology,forexample,toprovidethe
theoreticalframingforanalysisofmyethnographicpractice,Iaimtohave
multipletheoreticalframeworksinconversationwiththeethnographicresearch
andoneanother.InthiscaseIspecificallylooktowardtheoryinDigitalMedia,
AppliedEthnomusicology,andArchivalStudies.
2.3.2DigitalEthnography
DigitalEthnographyisamorerecentapproachthatconsiderstherole
digitalmediaplaysinshapingethnographicresearchtechniques,while
recognizingthattechnologyanddigitalmediaareapartoftheeveryday,andby
exploringthedigitalworldthroughanapproachthatreliesonanon-digital-
centricapproachtothedigital.BythisImeananapproachthatdoesnotusethe
digitalworldtoexplainthedigitalelementsofethnographicinquirybutratherto
explorethedigitalworldbyusingmoretraditionaltheoreticalinquiry.Intheir
recentlypublishedbook,DigitalEthnography:PrinciplesandPractice,authors
Pink,Horst,Postill,Hjorth,LewisandTacchi(2016)discusswhatDigital
EthnographycontributestothefieldofEthnography.Digitalethnographers,
theyclaim,“areinterestedinhowthedigitalhasbecomepartofthematerial,
sensoryandsocialworldsweinhabit,andwhattheimplicationsarefor
ethnographicresearchpractice.”Theauthorsalsosuggest“waysof
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acknowledgingandaccountingforthedigitalaspartofourworldsthatareboth
theoreticalandpracticalandthatoffercoherentframeworksthroughwhichto
doethnographyacrossspecificsitesandquestions.(Pink,etal.,2016,p.7).Ifind
theexplanationprovidedbyPink,etal.tobepertinenttoexplainingwhyIhave
chosentouseDigitalEthnographyasthemethodforanalyzingmyresearch.My
researchisinterestedinhowthedigitalworld,specificallydigitalmediaand
artistictechniquesavailabletoday,servesasaframeworkforconducting
ethnographyacrossdifferentsites,whileaskingrelatedbutnecessarilydifferent
questionsaboutculturalandreligioustraditions.Myresearchconsidershowthe
digitalmediatoolsIusebecomeapartofthematerial,andsocialworldsIstudy,
andhowtheartisticworkdevelopedthroughthesedigitaltoolscanimpact
ethnographicresearch.
Formativeworkexploringtheimpactofthedigitalonethnographyand
attemptingtodefinethefield,primarilytookshapeinthefieldsofsociologyand
anthropology.ScholarsinDigitalSociologyexploredtransformationsindigital
mediathatresultedfromthe‘digitalage’,seeforexampleSherryTurkle(2005
and2012)whowritesabouttheimpacttechnologyhashadonhuman
relationshipsandsocializing,andLauraRobinsonandDavidHalle(2002)who
writeabouttheextenttowhichtechnologyandspecificallydigitization
transformsthewayspeopleengagewithandaccessthearts.Digital
anthropologytookshapeinasimilarfashion,withscholarsinterestedinhow
approachestousingdigitalmediaimpactethnography,includingtheuseof
mobilephones,socialmedia,andnetworkedcommunityactivism.Seefor
example,IlanaGershon(2010)whoconductsanethnographyofFacebookand
othernewtoolsherstudentswereusingtoendrelationships,andHaidyGeismer
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(2013)whoresearchesthewaydigitaltechnologies,cataloguesand
representationsarealteringourmuseums.
ChristineHine’s(2000),VirtualEthnography,isoftencreditedwith
beginningthediscourseonnewethnographicmethodsbornoutofthedigital
age,thoughtherewereanumberofauthorsthroughoutthe1990’sthattouched
onsimilarthemesincludingShelleyCorrell(1995)whowritesaboutan
electronicLesbianBardevelopedfromacomputerbulletinboardsystem,Nancy
K.Baym(1999)whowritesaboutfandomandonlinecommunities,andDavid
Hakken(1999)whopresentsanargumentforthevalidityofethnographic
studiesofcyberspace.
Hine’s(2000)bookbeganadiscourseabouttheconsequencesofthe
digitalworldonethnographyaswellasthenewareasofconsiderationand
inquirybroughtaboutbydigitalinnovations.ForthisdissertationIrelyonthe
definitionofdigitalethnographyprovidedbyPinketal.,(2016),anapproachto
doingethnographyinacontemporaryworld…[it]alsoexploresthe
consequencesofthepresenceofdigitalmediainshapingthetechniquesand
processesthroughwhichwepracticeethnography,andaccountsforhowthe
digital,methodological,practicalandtheoreticaldimensionsofethnographic
researchareincreasinglyintertwined”(Pinketal.,2016,p.1).Ifindthis
definitionparticularlygermanetomyresearchinthatitreferencestherole
digitalmediaplaysinshapingethnographyinpresentday,andacknowledges
howdoingresearchwithinacontemporaryworldcanleadtogreater
interconnectednessofthetheoretical,practical,andmethodologicalaspectsof
ethnographicresearch.Theseobservationsresonatewithinmyownresearch,as
Iexplorethewaysthatdigitalmediaartcanimpactthesustainabilityand
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preservationofculturalheritage,whichdirectlyexplorestheinterconnectedness
ofthedigitalworld,ethnographicresearchandmethodology,andtheoretical
dimensionsofculture,heritage,andpreservation.
Digitalethnographyasanareaofinquiryconsiderstherolethatdigital
environmentsplayinredefiningethnographicresearch.Thisinquiryhasleadto
manynewconsiderationswithinethnographicpractice,includingthe
developmentofnewinnovativemethods,suchasdigitalethnography,the
questioningofhowmethodologiesareredefiningethnographicresearch,
questioninghowoldconceptsareimpactedbyanewdigitalethnographic
practice,andtheproposalthatpracticeandanalysisareequallyrelevantand
practicedequallyoften.(Pinketal.,2016).
Iwillalsodefinethetermsexpressivecultureandcollaborative
ethnography,whichspeaktotheethnographicmethodsIuseinmyresearch.
Expressiveculture”isatermIapplytotheethnographicelementsofmy
researchinthatitreferstotheculturalheritageandreligioustraditionsthatI
observedwithinthethreecasestudies.HarrisBerger(2010)definesexpressive
cultureinhisbook,Stance:IdeasaboutEmotion,Style,andMeaningfortheStudy
ofExpressiveCulture.Bergerexplainsthatthetermexpressivecultureisusedby
scholarsinawiderangeofdisciplinestorefertoanytypeofsocialbehaviorwith
anaestheticdimension.Thisincludesgenrestraditionallystudiedinthe
humanitiessuchasmusic,dance,theater,andpainting,butalsoeverydayforms
ofaestheticpracticelikestorytelling,jokes,dress,graf-fiti,andritual(Berger,
2010).Thetermadeptlycapturestheculturalandsocialnatureofanevent
whilealsorecognizingtheaestheticandartisticdimensionsofthatsameevent.I
foundthetermusefulinthinkingabouthowtheeventsIobserved,suchasthe
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TheyyamFestival,weresitesinwhichculturalandreligiousmeanings
intersectedwithartisticandaestheticvalues.
Collaborationisacriticalpieceoftheethnographicprocess,particularlyin
myresearch,whereIcollaboratewiththecommunityaswellasartists.Forthe
purposeofthisstudy,IwillrelyonLukeLassiter’sdefinitionofcollaborative
ethnographyasaguidelineforthetypeofcollaborationthatIstriveforinthe
artisticcollaborationsdiscussedinthisresearch:
Whilecollaborationiscentraltothepracticeofethnography,realizinga
moredeliberateandexplicitlycollaborativeethnographyimpliesresituating
collaborativepracticeateverystageoftheethnographicprocess,from
fieldworktowritingandbackagain.Manyethnographershavedonethis
before,andtheircollaborativework–regardlessoftheirtheoretical
trajectories–provideusapointofdepartureforbeginninganin-depth
explorationofthehistoryandtheorybehindacollaborativeethnography.
(Lassiter,2005,p.15)
Collaborativeethnographythereforepushescollaboratorstoworktogether
oneveryaspectoftheethnographicresearchprocess,notonlythewritingupof
fieldnotes.InmyowncollaborationsIhaveattemptedtofollowLassiter’s
approachofcollaborativeethnography,inorderfortheprocessofcollaboration
tobeasunifiedandrichaspossible.Truecollaborativeethnographyisdifficult
toachieve,butIthinkIhavecomeclosesttothisinmycollaborationwith
DhanarajKeezhara,whereweengagedintheethnographicresearchproject
togetherfromstarttofinish.Wetraveledontrainstogether,atetogether,and
conductedfieldresearchtogether,wethenbrainstormedideas,andshared
samplesofourcreativeworkwithoneanother.
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2.3.3Ethnomusicology
AnthonySeegerdefinedethnomusicologistsintheforwardhewrotefor
LaurentAubert’s2007book,TheMusicofTheOther:NewChallengesof
EthnomusicologyinaGlobalAge,as“specialistsinthestudyandoftenthe
presentationofmusicfromdifferentpartsoftheworld–[who]wereamongthe
firsttopaycloseandseriousattentiontothemusicaltraditionsofdistantplaces”
(Aubert,2007,p.vii).LaurentAubert,inthesamebook,describes
ethnomusicologyasfollows:
ThetermEthnomusicology,asweunderstandit,impliesarelationbetween
musicandsociety...Ethnomusicologyresultsfromtheconfrontationand
overlappingoftwocognitiveapproachesthatwecanconsiderirreducible;its
theoreticalandpracticalvalidationislocatedinthewrenchbetweenthetwo,
asindicatedbythejuxtapositionoftheprefixes‘ethno-‘and‘musico-‘.”
(Aubert,2007,p.9)
ForAubert,thetensionbetweenanapproachthatseekstorelatemusicand
societyandanapproachthatseekstorelatethetheoreticalandpracticalsidesof
musicisthekeytothevalueofenthnomusicology,asitmeansthatinorderto
exploremusicandsocietywemustexploreboththetheoreticalandpractical
componentsofeach.Anotherwaytosaythisisthattheprocessof
ethnomusicologyensuresasystemofchecksandbalancesbetweentheresearch
ofamusicaltradition,andthesocialstructuresthatsupportthattradition.My
researchborrowsfromethnomusicologyinthatitexploresatypeofrelationship
betweensocietyandsonority,throughfieldbasedexplorationandtheoretical
analysisofelementsofthatfieldwork.However,myresearchdoesnotfocus
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exhaustivelyorsolelyonmusic;ratheritisinterestedinsonicelementsof
expressivecultureandsociety,andwaysofusingthosesonicelementstomake
artthatcanreflectbackrelevantsocialissuesandserveasamarkerofthatactof
expressiveculture,embeddedwithinformationaboutthesocialandhistorical
momentinwhichitwasdocumented.
Initiallyethnomusicologistsexploredtheprocessofcreatingrecordings
frommusicaltraditionstheywerestudying,byrecordingandreproducing
musicaltraditionsonwaxcylinderandthenrecords.Theserecordingswere
mostlysharedwithinthescholarlycommunity,andasaresultonlyheardbya
thousandorsopeople(Aubert,2007).Beginninginthe1970stherewere
overlapsbetweenartistsandethnomusicologists,whichinitiallytooktheformof
Westernpopularmusicians,likePaulSimon,onhisalbumGraceland,which
featuredLadysmithBlackMambazo,andonwhichheinvitedmusiciansfrom
aroundtheworldtoplay,aswellasjointhemliveonstage.AsAubertstates,
“Suddenlyethnomusicologistswerenolongercontrollingthedisseminationof
worldmusic:theywereengulfedinafloodofitproducedbyothers”(Aubert,
2007,p.viii).Mydissertationoffersadifferentapproachtoartisticcreationthat
borrowsfrommusicalandsonictraditionsofexpressiveculturefromIndiaand
theMiddleEast,wherebytheoutputorcreativeproductisintendedtobeput
backintocirculationinthecommunitiesfromwheretheinitialrecordingscame,
andwhichaimstopreserveandsustainculturaltraditionscapturedwithinthe
creativework.
In“We’reallArchivistsNow:TowardsaMoreEquitableEthnomusicology,”
CarolynLandauandJanetToppFargion(2012)suggestthatthecreationof
‘culturebrokers’—aroleoftentakenonbyethnomusicologists—hasbeenborn
74
outofthisdesiretoreunitearchivalmaterialswiththecommunitiesfromwhere
thematerialcame.Theyalsosuggestthatitisamistrustoflargegovernment
institutionsthathasledtounderdevelopedpubliccollectionsandwidegrowth
ofprivatecollections,asethnomusicologistshavealsomistrustedlarge
organizationswiththeirfieldrecordings(LandauandFargion,2012).Perhaps
thisunderstandingofmistrustofgovernmentinstitutionsmakes
ethnomusicologistsgoodculturebrokers,astheycanbetterunderstandtheway
thecommunitiesinwhichtheyconducttheirresearchmayviewthem.
Insimilarstudies,EmmaBrinkhurst(2012)andCarolynLandau(2012)
wereinterestedinunderstandinghowreconnectingmembersofLondon’s
SomaliandMoroccancommunities,respectively,witharchivalrecordingsfrom
theirnativecommunitiescouldevokememoriesandstimulatediscussionand
performancetowardreclaimingcultureandidentity.AsLandauandFargion
(2012)explain,theculturebrokermustdevelopthesametypeoftrustand
mutualrespectasethnomusicologists,astherearedifficultbarriersthatmustbe
brokendownbetweenthearchivalinstitutionsandthecommunitygroups.
Thismovementtoreuniteaudio-visualarchiveswithmembersfromthe
communitiesfromwheretheycameisinterestingandunderstandable,butalso
raisesquestionsaboutthedevelopmentofnewcollectionsandarchivesin
presentday.Myresearchlooksatanapproachtothedevelopmentofcreative
projectsrootedinethnographicresearch.Iarguethatthesecreativeprojects,
whicharedevelopedfromfieldrecordingsofexpressiveculturalevents,are
relevanttomoderndayarchives.Theprocessoftakingpresentdayfield
recordings,andfromthemdevelopingcreativeprojectsthataimtobegin
conversation,inquiry,orsparkmemoryformembersofthecommunityfrom
75
wheretherecordingsweretaken,fusestheintendedoutcomesthat
ethnomusicologistslikeBrinkhurst(2012)andLandau(2012)arecurrently
researching,beingaculturebrokerforacommunity--arolethatlargemuseums
andinstitutionsoftenfailtosuccessfullyfulfill,andusefieldrecordingsasatool
tostimulatemeaningfuldiscussionsofmemoryandculturewithamodernday
approachtocollectingarchivalrecordingsandmaterials.
Myresearchdoesnotattempttodirectlyrespondtoacallfortheliving
archive,currentlyahottopicatconferencesandwithinjournalssuchasthatof
IASA,theInternationalAssociationofSoundandAudioVisualArchives,where
archivistsandethnomusicologistsexpresstheirstruggletoconnectpeoplewith
archivalmaterialsfromtheircommunities.Rathermyresearchattemptsto
developnewcollectionsofarchivalrecordingsandartifactsfromexpressive
culturaleventsinpresentday,whichisnotdissimilartotheinclinationsof
archivistsandethnomusicologists.Thisistosaythatthisresearchaimstohelp
communitiesdevelopandcreatenewmaterialforaprospectivefuturecollection
orarchivethatself-consciouslyaimstoincludethevoiceofthecommunity
withinthearchivalmaterialbeforeiteverreachesanarchiveorplacetosettle.
2.3.4AppliedEthnomusicology Appliedethnomusicology,asubfieldofethnomusicology,isadiscipline
thathascreatedaspaceinthediscourseforconversationsabouttherelationship
betweenappliedresearchandscholarshipandsocialandethicalresponsibility
withinethnographicresearch.“InOctober1998theSocietyforEthnomusicology
inaugurateditsAppliedEthnomusicologySectionwiththeaimof“joining
scholarshipwithpracticalpursuitsbyprovidingaforumfordiscussionand
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exchangeoftheory,issues,methodsandprojectsamongpractitioners.”8In2006
theInternationalCouncilforTraditionalMusicestablisheditsApplied
Ethnomusicologysectionwiththefollowingdefinition:“Applied
Ethnomusicologyistheapproachguidedbytheprinciplesofsocial
responsibility,whichextendstheusualacademicgoalofbroadeningand
deepeningknowledgeandunderstandingtowardsolvingconcreteproblemsand
towardworkingbothinsideandbeyondtypicalacademiccontexts.”9Applied
Ethnomusicologythereforehasasomewhatactivistbent,incomparisontoits
parentdiscipline,ethnomusicology.
Someauthorshavenotedtheactivistmeritsofapplied
ethnomusicologicalresearch,includingDanLundberg(2015),SvaniborPettan
andJeffToddTiton(2015),andCarolynFargion(2009).In“Archivesand
AppliedEthnomusicology,”DanLundbergexploresthehistoryofSweden’sFolk
MusicCommission.Heexplainsthatsimilarcollectingprojectswereongoingin
Europeancountriesfromthenineteenthintotheearlytwentiethcenturies,many
withtheintentionofdemonstratingeachcountriesuniquenessandcultural
specificity.Lundberggoesontosay,“animportantfunctionofarchivesisto
providetherawmaterialsforaconstant,ongoingreconstructionofhistory,and
thisreconstructionalwaysreflectsthecollectors’andusers’ideasandvalues.All
interpretationsofthepastareimpregnatedby,andfilteredthrough,the
ideologiesoftheirowntime”(Lundberg,2015,p.673).Lundberg’sargumentis
thattheintentionbehindtheformingofacollection,necessarilyinfluencesthe
waythecollectionisorganized,whichtheninfluencesthewayfuture*8Seehttp://webdb.iu.edu/sem/scripts/groups/sections/applied/applied_ethnomusicology_section.cfm(accessed16January2012)
**9Seehttp://www.ictmusic.org/group/applied-ethnomusicology(accessed16January2012)
77
generationswillinterpretthematerialswithinit.Heisalsopointingoutthata
valuebehindcontributingrawmaterialtothearchiveisforfuturegenerationsto
makerevisedmeaningofthematerials.
MyresearchtakesLundberg’sargumentonestepfurther,byproposing
thatwhiletherawmaterialremainsrelevanttothearchive,theaugmented
materialshouldalsobeincludedinthearchivalcollection,asitrepresents
importantinformationdocumentingtheparticulargeneration’sinterpretationof
therawmaterial,whichasLundbergsuggests,capturestheideologiesofthe
time.Thismovemeansthatacollectiondoesnotonlyrepresentmaterialofa
particulargenerationbutalsotheperspectivesoffuturegenerations,whichcan
provideinformationaboutchangeswithinparticularcommunitiesovertime,
throughtherawmaterial,aswellasindicationsoffactorsofthetimethatmay
contributetochanges.
Someethnomusicologistshavearguedthatpreservationistantamountto
theirdiscipline,includingBarzandCooley(2008),Aubert(2007),andSteven
Feld(1982).Howeverotherethnomusicologistshavemorerecentlysuggested
thatpreservationisbroaderinscopethansimplyrecording,documentingand
submittingmaterialtoanarchive,andshouldbeextendedtoincludethe
facilitationofthecontinuationofatradition,seeforexampleFargion(2009).
WhileFargionarguesthatthecontinuationorsustainabilityofatraditionispart
oftheroleofpreservationforethnomusicologists,otherslikeLundberg,in
“ArchivesandAppliedEthnomusicology,”goonestepfurthertosuggestthatit’s
actuallybothtofacilitatethecontinuationofatradition,andinherenttothat,the
roleofdecidingwhichtraditions’continuationisfacilitated,andwhichisnot
becausetheyhavenotbeencollected(Lundberg,2015,p.681).WhileFargion
78
andLundberg’scontributionshavebeencrucialtochangingattitudesaboutthe
purposeandintentionofpreservationwithinethnomusicology,aswellas
openingupthediscoursetoincludetheimportanceofsustainingcultural
traditions,whatismissingfromtheresearchonsustainabilityoftraditionsisa
waytogoaboutmakingtraditionsmoresustainableandwhetherornotitis
realistictoconsiderthatethnomusicologistscandothisaloneforalltraditions.
Whatisneededisanapproachthatcombinesthesustainablepreservationfrom
Fargion’sresearchwiththerecognitionthatnotallcommunities’traditionsare
beingdocumentedfromLundberg’sresearch—essentially,amethodthat
considersthetypeoffieldresearchthatisviableforhelpingtosustaintraditions,
andwhichconsidershowartisticresearchoncommunitiesandtraditionscan
helpcastawidernetoverthetraditionsthatarebeingdocumented.Iattemptto
dothisinmyresearchbypartneringethnographicresearchandartisticpractice
throughdigitalmediums,tomaketheargumentthattheresultingcreativework
capturesimportantandessentialaspectsofexpressivecultureandheritagethat
canservetosustainthesetraditions.Ialsomaketheargumentforwhyitis
importantthatthesetypesofcreativeprojectsbeincludedwithinarchival
collectionsaboutthesetraditions,astheycaptureatemporalityandspatialityof
aparticularcommunity’sculturalheritageandaparticularmomentintime.
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3 Theyyam
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3.Theyyam Consciouslyornot,thequestfortheotherinitsdifferenceisalwaysalsoa
questforoneselfbywayoftheother. —LaurentAubert,2007
3.1 SectionOne:Introduction
3.1.1Introduction
Myethnographicresearchanddocumentationwasconductedduringthe
annualTheyyamfestivalinKeezhara,asmallvillageinKerala,India.Iwill
provideanoverviewofavisualartexhibition,EverydayLife:ARepertoireof
RitualandPerformance,developedbymycollaboratorDhanarajKeezharaand
myself,inresponsetothefestivalanditsrelationshiptocastemarginalization
withinKeezhara.WhilethepurposeoftheEverydayLifeexhibitionwasto
attempttomitigatecastediscrimination,thepurposeofthisdissertationisto
understandthewaysinwhichcreativeresponsetofieldrecordingsmightwork
differentlythanmoretraditionalarchiving.
3.1.2 MyArtisticCollaborator
InFebruary2013,ItraveledtoKeezhara,asmallvillageintheNorthern
MalabarregionofKerala,India,toobservetheTheyyamFestivalwithmyfriend
andcollaborator,DhanarajKeezhara,avisualartist.Theyyamisaritualistic
HindufestivalcelebratedannuallyinKeezhara;asIlearnedfromthemembersof
thecommunity,thefestivaldatesbackroughlytwothousandyears,towhen
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peoplefirstinhabitedtheNorthernMalabarcoastofKerala.Duringtheweek-
longdevotionalevent,villagememberspraytothegodstohelpthemmake
peacewiththenativeanimalsanddaemonsoftheland,sothattheymaysettle
therewithoutbeingkilled.Thefestivalisnotableforitscostumingandface
paint,andmostimportantlyforitsperformances,whichoftenreenactconflict
betweenhumansandanimalsthatdatesbacktowhenthelandwassettled.
Dhanarajwasinterestedinthetopicofcastemarginalization.Specifically
hisartexploreshowtheTheyyamartistswhocomefromthelowercasteof
Keezharasociety,andwhoareembodiedbygodsduringTheyyam,arerevered
duringthefestivalbutnotduringtheremaining51weeksoftheyear.We
decidedtocollaborateandcreateanexhibitioninresponsetotheTheyyam
festival.Icollectedsoundrecordings(aswellasphotographsandfieldnotesof
myobservationsandexperiences)ofthefestival,withtheintentionofcreatinga
soundscapethatmighthighlightthejuxtapositionofhowthelowercastewas
treatedinsidethefestivalandout,andwhichwouldaccompanyDhanaraj’s
visualartwork.Ouraimwastobringfocustothefestivalperformersinanew
way,todisruptthedestructivediscoursetowardthesemembersofthe
community,andtotransfersomeoftherespectgatheredfortheTheyyam
artists,duringtheirtemporarygodliness,totheirpermanentembodimentas
membersofthevillage.
Throughoutmyexperienceofthefestivalandthecreationoftheexhibition,
Iwasdrivenbythequestion,couldourexhibit—ourcreativeresponsetothe
festival—besuccessfulasaformofactivism?Andmorespecifically,couldthe
useoftechnologyanddigitalarchivinghelpaddresscastemarginalizationin
Keezhara,inwaystraditionalarchivingmightnot?Istheresomethingabout
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creativeresponsethatoffersanewviewtowardestablishedsocietalcustoms
thatmovesbeyondrecordingintotherealmofactivism?
DhanarajKeezharaisfromKeezhara,Kerala,wherehewasraiseduntilhe
attendedArtsCollegeinthenearbycityofKannur.Dhanarajwasbornunderthe
nameDhanarajMadhavanafterhisfather’sfamilyname,anddecidedtochange
hislegallastnametoKeezharabecauseofaverystrongconnectiontohisvillage
roots.
AfterattendingArtcollege,DhanarajmovedtoBangalore,whereheandhis
familyhavebeensettledsince.DhanarajreturnstoKeezharaannuallyforthe
Theyyamfestival,andisintimatelyfamiliarwiththedetailsofthecomplex
folkloricfestivalaswellaswiththemembersofhisvillagewhoarepartofthe
performanceandthemusicalfamiliesresponsibleforcontinuingthetraditionof
thefestival.
DhanarajandIfirstmetin2007whileIwasworkinginIndiaasarecipient
oftheWilliamJeffersonClintonFellowshipforServiceinIndia.Hewastheart
teacheratChristelHouseIndia,anon-governmentalorganization(NGO)school
ontheoutskirtsofBangalore,andtheschool’sliaisontotheAdobeYouthVoices
(AYV)project.IwaslivingandworkinginIndiaatthetimeonthelaunchof
AYV.AdobewantedtoextendtheirprogramtoIndiaandpartneredwiththe
AmericanIndiaFoundation(AIF),theNGOwhereIworked,todoso.AIFalready
hadestablishedrelationshipswithschools,andhadoutfittedseveral
governmentschoolswithtechnologicalinfrastructureandcomputerteachersto
runnewclasses.
Theprojectentailedre-contextualizingAdobe’sAYVcurriculumtofitthe
Indiancontext,andlaunchingitwithin15schoolsinBangaloreand10inDelhi.
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TheworkrequiredfrequenttravelbetweenBangaloreandDelhiinsupportof
trainings,regularschoolvisitstoconductlessons,technicalandfieldsupportin
photography,film,andmedia,andprojectassessment,whichwassentbackto
Adobeforgrantmonitoringpurposes.ThefirstyearoftheAYVIndiaproject
successfullyconcludedinlate2008,shortlyafterwhichImovedbacktothe
UnitedStates.
In2012ItraveledbacktoBangaloreandmetwithDhanarajabout
collaboratingonanartisticprojectfocusedaroundtheTheyyamfestival.Atthe
time,heandhisfamily—hiswife,Nisha,andtheirchildren,TejuandSidu—were
celebratingVishu,theMalyalam(Keralan)NewYear.Aswesatonhisliving
roomfloorwithhisfamily,eatingdelicioushomemadefoodofflargebright
greenbananaleaves,wedevelopedaplanforajointexhibitiononthetopicof
castemarginalizationandTheyyam.
MuchofDhanaraj’sowncreativeworkhadforyearsbeeninspiredbythe
festival,andmorerecentlycenteredaroundhisinterestincastemarginalization.
Ourcollaborationbeganwithdiscussionsaboutthemargins,gaps,andspaces
withincommunitystructures,whichhelpusunderstandourrelationshipstoone
another.Dhanaraj’songoingbodyofvisualartwork,whichhecalls“Truthinthe
Margins,”includespaintings,drawings,sculptures,photographs,mixedmedia
work,andwatercolors.Thisworkisinspiredbytheideaofpeoplelivinginthe
marginsoftheircommunities,andthisinitialseedbeganourconversations
aboutthepossibilityofourartisticexplorationoftherelationshipbetween
Theyyamandcastemarginalization.
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Wecontinuedourartisticcollaborationremotely,communicatingprimarily
overe-mailandoccasionallySkype.OftenNishaservedasatranslatorof
languageandideaswhennecessary.
3.1.3 Keezhara,India
TherearefourteendistrictsinthestateofKerala,whichisconsidered
partofSouthIndia,aregionmadeupoffourstates:Kerala,TamilNadu,
Karnataka,andAndhraPradesh.SouthernIndiaisunitedbylinguisticsimilarity
rootedinDravidianlanguages,whichincludesTamil,spokeninTamilNadu;
Telegu,spokeninAndhraPradesh;Kannada,spokeninKarnataka;and
Malyalam,spokeninKerala.ThevillageispredominantlyHindu,withtwo
temples,KoolamBhagavathy,thelargemaintemplegroundsinthevillage,and
themuchsmallerVijanaPoshiniGranthalayam,locatedonekilometerupthe
mainroad.
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86
Image3.2MapofKerala(Source:http://maps.newkerala.com/kerala-travel-map.php AccessedOct30,2015)
Image3.3MapofKeezhara (Sourcehttps://www.google.ae/maps/place/Keezhara+
Koolam+Bhagavathy+Temple/@11.9475738,75.3901148,12z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x3ba 4159e73f466fd:0xc7c9c9f3736ce0c4?hl=enAccessedOctober30,2015.)
87
3.1.4 TheTheyyamFestival
“Teyyam”isperhapsacorruptionoftheSanskriticword“Deivam,”
meaningadeity.
IntheTeyyam,[orTheyyam]ritual,specialistswearingelaboratecostumes
seektoportraythedeity,whichcanbeagodorthespiritofafamous
personagelongdeceased.Thespecialistisbelievedtohaveinvokedthe
spiritofthatdeityorancestorintohimselfthroughsomespecificritualacts
andthenvirtuallybecomestheembodimentofthedeityorspirit.Inthis
alteredstate,heisagodandisconsideredassuch,andheisbelievedto
bearimmensepowertoprophesy,blessandheal.Therearenumerous
Teyyams–ofgods,goddesses,ancestorsorfamouspersonagesbothmale
andfemale.(Gabriel,2013,p.4).
AccordingtoGabriel,theperformersarebornintoTheyyamperformance
families,andaremembersoftheNichaJatiscaste,oneofthelowercastesofthe
village,alsoreferredtoasPulayas.TheNichaJatishaveforcenturiesbeen
taskedwithcarryingtheTheyyamtraditionsforward,passingonthedances,oral
recitations,andtraditionsfromgenerationtogeneration.Theperformancesare
intergenerational,withthemoreseniormembersofthefamiliestakingonthe
morechallengingperformancesandcostumes.
Accordingtothelegendsportrayedatthefestival,Theyyamhasarich
historyoffolklorethatchroniclesthestoriesofthosefirstsettlersoftheland,
theirconflictwiththeanimalsandnature,andtheirrelationshipswithone
anotherandtheHindugodstowhomtheyprayedtomakepeacewiththeland.
Thetraditionsofthefestivalincludestorytelling,dances,music,sacrificestothe
88
deity,spiritpossession,andcostuming.Theyyamartistshavemaintainedand
passedthetraditionsofthefestivalalongtoyoungergenerationsovertime,and
aretheonlypeoplewithinacommunitywhoareallowedtoperformthe
traditionsofthefestival,astheyarebelievedtobeabletoparticipateinspirit
possession.
ThemostdefiningcharacteristicoftheTheyyamFestivalisthatitassumes
oftheperformersandthevillagersanagreementandunderstandingthatduring
thefestival,thehumanperformersareembodiedbygods.Thereforeallworship
oftheperformersisworshipofagodlyembodiment.Itislikelythatthisunique
elementofthefestivalhasbeenattheheartofTheyyamfromtheonset:“In
ancienttimesthepeopleofKeralapreferredtoworshipGodsthroughhuman
representationsratherthanasimages,oridols”(Gabriel,2013,p.17).
TherearemanytypesofTheyyam,includingTheyyamofmaleandfemale
deities,aswellasofancestors.WithinthefestivaltherearenumerousTheyyam
charactersrepresented,whichdifferbycommunityastheTheyyamartistshave
differentstoriesthatarepasseddownwithintheirfamiliesbasedonthe
experiencesoftheirancestors,theircaste,andthelandfromwherethey
descend.Itissaidthattherewereonceover400differentTheyyamcharacters,
andinpresentdayonlyhalfofthosearestillperformed.
TheyyamisoneoftheculticandritualisticartsofKerala,aplacewithalong
historyofperformingarts.TherelationshipbetweenTheyyamartistsand
dominantculturehasbeenentwinedwithissuesofcastemarginalizationandthe
complicatedexpressionofcastestatusreversal.“EveryTheyyamdrawsintoits
foldpantheisticpractices,alongwithcasteistaffirmationsthathelpedthe
89
marginalizedclassesclaimaspaceforthemselves,andasserttheirsociallinks
withthelandoftheirdwelling”(Trikaripur,2014,p.17).
TheyyamisrootedinthelandofMalabar,andmanytraditionsreflectedin
thefestivalaretiedtothenatureandritualsoftheland.IntheKeezharafish
tradition,fishermenfromthevillagespendoneentiredayofthefestivalfishing
onlyoneparticulartypeofsmallsilverfishfromtheriverattheedgeofthe
village.AsIwitnessedduringthefestival,onthisdaynooneelseisallowedto
fish,andoncethefishermanhavecaughtthedesirednumberoffish,which
usuallytakesthemfromsunrisetolateafternoon,theyrushthesefishbackto
thetempleasasacrificetothegods.Thefisharethengiventothepeopleofthe
villagetoeat.TrikaripurSreekanthdescribesthisas“[a]totalperformance,itis
anincrediblecomingtogetheroffaithbasedritualisticcelebrationofnotonly
religion,buttheculticandthenaturalandisintegraltotheconsolidationofthe
differentcommunitiesandfaithsthatareknitintothesocialfabricofMalabar”
(Ibid,p.17).
SincethevillageofKeezharaisthefocusofthisresearch,Iwilllimitmy
explorationofspecificTheyyamcharacterstothoseIuncoveredthrough
researchinKeezhara.Duringtheweeklongfestival,artiststellthestoriesofthe
individualTheyyamcharactersandrecitetheoraltraditionsofthefestival.The
presentationofeachTheyyamcharacterisbrokendownintothreedifferent
public-facingperformancesortraditions:theThottam,Vellatam,andTheyyam.
Theritualprocesshasthreeclearlydemarcatedstages.Inthefirst,the
Teyyam[Theyyam]appearswithverylittlecostuming.Thisisthetorram
[Thottam](fromtheSanskritstotram,meaningpraise)stageinwhichthe
Teyyamwillsingsongspraisingthedeityorthespiritinvolvedandrecounting
90
itshistoryandlegends,connectingwithit.Onlyasingledrumwillbethe
accompaniment.ThisiscalledtheIlamkolan(YoungKolma).Thekolakkaran
thenreturnstotheconcealedcostumingareaandreappearswithsomemore
costumingandperformsotherelementsoftheTeyyamritualandperformance
withmoredrummersandmusiciansaccompanyingtheritual.Thisisknownas
theVellatt[vellatam]stage.Returningtothecostumingarena,theTeyyam
comesbackwithfulladornmentsandcostumingasthefull-fledgedTeyyam.
Thesestagescanbecompared,accordingtoK.K.Marar,toinfancy,youth,and
maturityofaperson’slife(Gabriel,2013).
ItisworthnotingherethatVellatamarethechildhoodversionsofthemale
Theyyam,howevertherearealsofemaleTheyyamintheformofgoddesses.
ElamkolamisthechildhoodversionoffemaleTheyyamcharacters.InKeezhara
allTheyyamartistsaremen,evenwhenrepresentingagoddess;costumesfor
goddessesoftenincludechestplateswithbreaststhatmenwillwear.Thereis
onevillageinNorthMalabarcalledThekkumbadwherewomencanperforma
particularTheyyamcalledtheSthreeTheyyam.Atpresentthereisonewoman
fromthiscommunitywhoperforms,andtraditionallythesetrainingsarepassed
onfromgenerationtogenerationsoifshehadadaughtershewouldtrainher
daughtertoperformtheSthreeTheyyam.
TheThottammarksthebeginningofthecycleofaparticularTheyyam.In
thisperformancetheTheyyamwearsaveryminimalredcostume,withdabsof
facepaint,andrecitesthestorytothebeatingofasingledrumorsometimes
threedrumsformomentsofemphasis.ThisiswheretheTheyyamrecitesthe
narrativeofthestoryoftheTheyyamcharacter,throughritualisticchanting,
whicheldersinthecommunitysayhaveoriginatedinSanskrit.However,
91
becausethestoriesarepasseddownthroughoraltraditionpracticesalone,and
inalanguagethatisnotspokeninmodern-dayKeezhara,thecurrentThottamis
anindistinguishablerhythmicnarrativethatisnotlinguisticallycomprehensible
toanyoneImet,includingtheTheyyamperformers.
Theearlyeveningofthesameday,asthesunisabouttoset,marksthe
performanceoftheVellatamorthechildversionoftheTheyyamcharacter.The
Vellatamisadornedincostumingmadeupofaheadpiece,andfaceandbody
paintspecifictotheparticularVellatam.Thisperformanceofteninvolvesdance
withrobustmusicalaccompaniment,someelementoffire,andmultipletemple
mindersandotherhelpers,astheVellatam’sembodimentismoreprofoundand
behaviormoreerraticthanitsolderTheyyamcounterpart.
Inthelateeveningofthatday,orearlymorningofthefollowingday,the
Theyyamperformanceoccurs.TheTheyyamisthematureversionofthesame
characterportrayedintheVellatam,andassuchisinamorerobustcostume,
oftenaccompaniedbyamoredynamicheadpieceandfullfaceandbodymakeup.
ThefacemakeupishighlyintricatefortheTheyyamperformances,andthe
performerwilloftenwearmetalpiecesontheirface,whichserveaskey
identifiersoftheTheyyamcharacter,andcomplementthefacepaintforthe
costume.TheTheyyamperformancesareoftenmuchmoretamethenthe
Vellatamperformances,andtheTheyyamappearstobemoreembodiedinthese
performances—thatis,theyoftenspeakinwhatsoundsliketongues,walking
slowlywithsomesuddenmovement.ThefollowingdaytheThottamofthenext
Theyyamcharacterbegins,andanewday’sTheyyamcycletakesshape.
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3.1.5 EmbodimentandCasteMarginalization
Marginalization,ordiscriminationbasedoncaste,hasitsrootsintraditions
oftheHinducastesystem;however,thisiscomplicatedwhenviewedthrough
thelensoftheTheyyamfestival.TheKeezharaTheyyamartistscomefroman
“untouchable”caste,thePulayas,whohavehistoricallybeenagricultural
indenturedservantswhoworkedinthericepaddies.(Osella&Osella,2000).
Duringthefestival,TheyyamartistsareembodiedbyHindugods,andthe
villagerspray,worship,andgivemoneyandofferingstotheTheyyam,asthey
believethemtobegods.SomeTheyyamcharactersliketheMuttapan,are
consideredcommunityprophetswithhealingpowers.Villagerslineupbythe
dozenstomakeanofferingandholdtheMuttapan’shandtoreceivewordsof
guidanceandhealingforchildrenorfamilymembers,includingfindingasuitor
fortheirchild,thehealthofapartnerorparent,andothersformoneytorepay
debts.
DuringtheTheyyamfestival,itiswidelyunderstoodthattheTheyyam
artistshaveanelevatedstatuswithinthevillage.Inadditiontopaymentand
offerings,villagerswilloftenhelpmakefoodfortheartiststhroughouttheday,
whiletheartistsarebusypreparingfortheday’sperformances.Theartists’
familiesarebusyaroundtheclockrecitingtheThottam,preparingtheir
costumes,face,andbodymake-up,andcoordinatingperformancesanddances.
Duringtheremaining51weeksoftheyear,theTheyyamartistsareunderstood
asexistingonlyintheirhumanforms;theyarePulayas,untouchables,andare
treatedassuchbytheirfellowvillagers.
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InKeezhara,marginalizationistiedtotheartists’Pulayacastestatus.The
castesystem,arankinghierarchywithinHinduism,isparticularlycomplicatedin
Kerala.
ThecasterankinghierarchyofKeralamostcloselyresemblessociological
idealtypeconceptionoftheHinducastehierarchyinthatalmostevery
castegroupissaidtooccupyauniqueandpracticallyunquestionedrank,
eitherhigherorlowerthantherankofeachlocalcastegroup.(Alexander,
1968,p.1071).
K.C.Alexandergoesontoexplainthedescendinghierarchy,startingwiththe
highest-ordercaste:Brahmin,Kshatriya,Antaralajati,Sudra,Kammala,Patita
Jati,NichaJati,andfinallytheExtraJati.ThePulayas,partoftheNichaJaticaste,
areconsideredtobepollutionwithinacommunity;infactthewordpulaya
originatesfrompela,meaningbirthanddeathpollution.(Alexander,1968).
J.J.Pallatharticulatesoneexplanationofthesecomplicateddynamics,
assertingthattheTheyyamFestivalcreatesanenvironmentthatsupportsa
castestatusreversalbetweenthePulayasandtheuppercaste,butthatthe
specificwayinwhichthatreversalplaysoutwithintheTheyyamfestivalfavors
thecastehierarchyanddoesnotalterordisruptthepowerstructure,butrather
reinforcesit:
Theritualstatusreversalpracticedinthetheyyamperformance,formsan
effectivedefensemechanismbothforthePulayasandfortheuppercaste.
ThePulayasovercometheirunconsciousfearofthelandlord[uppercaste]
byidentifyingthemselveswiththelatter,andtheuppercasteovercome
thefearofthespiritworldbyallowingthePulayastoidentifythemselves
withtheevilspirits.Inthiswaytheuppercastesbelievethatthe
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terrifyingobjectscanbedivestedoftheirpower.Formanydepth
psychologists,identificationalsomeansreplacement.Todrawoffpower
fromastrongbeingistoweakenthebeing.Suchritualsofstatus
reversalsarethoughtofasbringingbalancedmutualrelationbetweenthe
socialstructureandcommunitasonceagaintoaffirmthesocialstructure.
(Pallath,1995,p.184).
Thisdescriptiongivesaglimpseintotheongoingcomplexityofcaste
dynamicsrootedininstitutionalsystemsofhierarchythataresuspendedand
appendedduringdifferentmomentsthroughouttheyear.Theoutcomeisan
overallcollusionwithdominantmajoritymarginalizationofthelowercaste
communities,temperedwithanodtotheTheyyamfestival,whichisseenasa
weeklongsubversionofthehegemonicsystem.Inourartisticcollaboration,
DhanarajandIdevelopedworkthataimstoaddressandattimessubvertvillage
castedynamicsinKeezhara.Theexhibitionusedsonicandvisualinterpretations
oftangibilityandtouch-ability,asawayofbringingfocustothehumannessof
theTheyyamartistsduringthefestival,anaspectoftheiridentitythatisoften
overshadowedbytheextremecostumingandbodypaintfromwhichthe
Theyyamcharactersareborn.Thiscomplexsymbioticdynamiccreates
resistancetowardchangeorrecognitionofcontinuedinjusticewithininter-caste
dynamicsinKeezhara(Pallath,1995).
AsPallathasserts,thePulayasanduppercastevillagersseetheirTheyyam
rolesasimportantreferencesforoneanother’slivesoutsideofthefestival;in
fact,itseemsthatthesymbiosisachievedthroughthefestivalplaysaroleintheir
abilitytoliveharmoniously.ThePulayas’roleasembodiedgodselevatesthem
toastatusthatallowsthemtotemporarilyexperiencetheprivilegesaffordedthe
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uppercaste,whilenolongerfearingtheupper-casteindividualsthemselves.For
theupper-castecommunity,theirinvolvementinthefestival(i.e.,givingmoney,
requestingadviceandprayerfromthePulayas)helpstomitigatetheirfearsof
thespiritworld.AsPallathtellsus,whiletheserolereversalsbringharmony,
theyalsoservetoreinforcethesocialstructureofthecommunity.
Ifwedonotassumethatthisrolereversalleadstoaharmoniousoutcome
necessarily,andinsteadrecognizethepositionalrelationshipbetweentheupper
castesandthePulayas,asPallathsuggests,wecanfurtherexplorethe
complexitiesofthesecastedynamicsandconsidertheroleTheyyamcanplayin
combattingthem.Forexample,itisstillthecasethatanybalanceandharmony
achievedthroughTheyyamdoesnotsustainitselfthroughouttheyear.Pallath
(1995)suggeststhattherelationshipbetweentheuppercastesandthePulayas
duringTheyyamsupportsunderstandingofoneanother’ssocialpositionsandis
tiedtoasiphoningofpowerorweakeningoftheother.Throughtheir
identificationwiththeuppercastesduringTheyyam,thePulayasweakenthe
powertheuppercasteshaveoverthem.Theuppercastesallowtheirfearstobe
overcomethroughtheiridentificationwiththespiritworld,representedbythe
Pulayas,andinsodoingovercomesomeoftheirfears.Thechallengeofcourse
iswhetheritisevenpossibleforintersubjectivitywhenthePulayasareseenby
theuppercastesinsuchextremes:theyareeithergodsordevils,andthisbinary,
asPallathtellsus,isnavigatedbymagicalthinkingmorethanrationalthought.
3.2SectionTwo:MyPersonalJourney
3.2.1TheStoryofMyJourney
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OnFebruary14,2013,ItraveledwithDhanaraj;hiswife,Nisha,andtheir
children,Siddharta(Sidu),andTejaswini(Teju),tohisnativevillageofKeezhara,
wherewespentoneweekparticipatingintheTheyyamfestival,community
gatherings,familyreunions,dinners,anddocumentingandrecordingthe
experience.IflewfromAbuDhabitoCalicut,Kerala,arrivingat3:30inthe
morning.Itookanambassadortaxi10fromtheairporttotheCalicutrailstation,
whereIwaitedfortheTheyashanthpur-KannurExpresstoarrive,roughlyan
hourandahalflater.
IhadarrangedtomeetDhanarajandhisfamilyonthetrain,whichtheyhad
boardedinBangalorethenightbefore.Iknewfrompreviousexperiencethat
negotiatingthetrainsinIndiacanbedifficult,dependingontheconditions.
Trainsarethemostcommonandpopularformoflong-haultransportationin
India,andareoftendelayed.Attimestheywillonlystopatastationforaminute
ortwobeforetakingofftothenextstation.IknewIwouldlikelyhaveonlya
minuteortwotogetmyself,mybackpackofclothing,theorangecasewithmy
equipment,andtheshoulderbagwithcablingontothetraincar,andIwas
hopingtofindtherightcar,sleepercar8,ratherthanhavingtowalkthroughand
betweentraincars.IalsoknewthatifDhanarajcouldnotfindme,hewould
worrythatIhadmissedthetrainor,worse,theflight.
ThetrainarrivedandDhanarajjumpedoffandwasequallyhurriedin
searchingforme.LuckilyIhadpositionedmyselfrelativelyneartowhere
10TheHindustanAmbassadorisacarthatwasmadebytheHindustanMotorsCompanyinIndia,andmodeledaftertheMorrisOxfordseriesIIImodelbytheBritishMorrisMotorslimited.(FromtheWikipediapageontheHindustanAmbassador)TheAmbassadorwascommonlydrivenbytheBritishinIndia,andbecamerecognizedasaprestigiouscarrepresentinggovernment,ambassadors,anddignitaries.TodaytheAmbassadorisstillusedasadignitarycar,andduetothenumbersofthecarsthatwereproducedbetween1958and2014,particularlyinthesouthofIndia,itisalsousedasataxiandcompanycarinsomeplaces.
97
sleepercar8stoppedandwasabletoheaddirectlytowardhimwithmythings.
Relievedandtired,havingtraveledallnight,IwasgladtoseeDhanarajand
Nisha,whohadreservedabedformewiththeirbooking.Wechattedforabit
andthenallwenttosleep,astherewerestilltwohoursleftuntilthetrainwasto
reachKannur.Siddhartawokemefifteenminutesbeforeourstop,andIcould
hearthefamiliarmonotonousbutrhythmiccallsofcoffeeandchaiwallasasthey
walkedtheaislesofthetraincarscarryinglargesteelcontainersofsweetwarm
beveragesontheirshoulders.Wehadcoffee,collectedourbelongings,and
negotiatedgettingoffthetrain;luckily,asKannurwasthelaststop,therewas
ampletimetogeteveryoneandeverythingoffbeforethetrainbegantomove.
Thefiveofuspiledourthingsintoanambassadortaxi,andthedrivertookusthe
13kilometerstoDhanaraj’sfamilyhomeinKeezhara.
Dhanaraj,Nisha,Sidu,Teju,andmyselfallstayedatDhanaraj’sfamilyhome,
wherehismotherstilllives.Thehouseisanold-styleKeralahomemadeofmud
wallsandconcretefloors.Withinthehousethereisamaincommonroom,two
bedrooms,asmallstorageroomlocatedoffthesideporch,whichDhanarajuses
asanofficespace,asmallatticoffastepstairwellnexttothediningroomtable,
wheresomerelativessleptwhentheystayedover,andonebathroomoffthe
secondbedroom.Thekitchenisjustinsideofthebackpatioacrossfromthe
well.Iwasgiventhebedroomthathadthebathroomattachedtoitasaplaceto
sleep.DhanarajandNishasleptinthesecondbedroom,andDhanaraj’smother,
Sidu,andTejuallsleptonfloormatslaidoutinthelivingroom.Thoughthis
sleepingarrangementmademefeeluncomfortable,asIndianhospitality
sometimescan,largelybecauseDhanaraj’s60-plus-year-oldmotherwas
sleepingonthefloorinsteadofinthebedIwasin,Ihadlearnedfrommytimein
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Indiathathospitalitytowardguestswasextremelyimportantandthatmy
assumptionsofwhatwascomfortableorappropriatedidnotmatchwhat
Dhanaraj’sfamilythoughtthemtobe.Needlesstosay,evenwhenseveral
relativesstayedthenight,InevermovedoutoftheroomIwasplacedin,norwas
Iaskedtoshare,despitehavingvolunteeredtosleepinthelivingroomwiththe
children.
Image3.4Dhanaraj’sChildhoodhomeinKeezhara
Image3.5TheroomwhereIstayedImage3.6Thelivingroom Image3.7Nishainthe
kitchen
AfterourarrivalthatfirstmorninginKeezhara,werested,ate,andsettled
in,asthefirstnightofTheyyamperformanceswastotakeplacelaterthat
99
evening.Dhanaraj’smother,slenderwithbrightsilverhairandakindbutquiet
demeanor,madeusalllunchaswerecuperatedandbathed.DhanarajandNisha
tookmeonawalkthroughthevillage.Wecutthroughthebackwoodsofthe
houseandwereshortlyonthemainroadthatsnakedthroughthevillage,
directlyacrossfromtheGoddessBhagavadKalitemple.
Adjacenttothetempleisafieldthatisusedforcelebrationsandfestivities.
Aswewalkeddowntheroad,passingthemainbusstand,whichisdirectlyin
frontofthetemple,westoppedtosayhellotoeveryone.DhanarajandNisha
seemedtoknoweveryoneinthevillage.Wecontinueddowntheroadfora
quartermileandstoppedatthevillagelibrary.Thebuildingwassmalland
modest,buttheinsidewaspaintedwithwildandbrightcolorsanddesigns,
manyresemblingTheyyamcharacters,andonewallwascoveredinamuralof
childrensittingtogetherandreadingbooks.Dhanarajhadguidedthechildrenin
paintingthemuralsonthelibrarywalls.Thespaceisnowusedforteachingand
workshopsthroughouttheyear.
Wecontinuedanotherhalfmiledowntheroad,stoppingatleasttentimes
onthewaytospeakwithandbeintroducedtovillagersandDhanaraj’s
childhoodfriends.ManyofDhanaraj’sfriendshad,likehim,relocatedtocities
foremploymentopportunities.Whenasked,theyallsaidhowhappytheywere
toreturnannuallyforTheyyam,toseefriends,andhavetimetogether.They
wereallcuriousaboutwhyIwasinKeezhara,andalsointerestedthatIlivedand
workedintheUnitedArabEmirates,asmostpeopleImetinKeralahadafamily
memberorfriendwhowasworkingintheUAE.Theconversationsoftenskewed
towardworkingoutsideofIndia,asthatwaswhatwehadincommon,andhow
theinfluxofforeignmoneyintoKeralawasraisingthecostofliving.
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Dhanarajtoldmethatitwouldbeimportantformetogivemoneytothe
headofthetempleformyparticipationinTheyyam.Iwasinterestedinwhat
thisexchangeofmoneywasfor,asDhanarajandI,thoughcollaborators
artistically,hadneverdiscussedmattersofmoney.Iaskedhimhowmuch
moneyIshouldgivethetemple,andherespondedbysaying,“Asyoulike.”He
saidthatitwasokay,meaningaboveboardandverymuchtherightthingforme
todo,andthathewouldtakemetothetemple.IagainaskedhowmuchmoneyI
shouldbringtothetemple,andthistimeNisha,Dhanaraj’swife,steppedinand
said500rupeeswouldbetherightamount.Thishesitationtodiscussmoney
withfriendsissomethingIhaveexperiencedwithallofmyIndianfriends,and
seemstoberooted,fromwhatIcantell,inasenseofhospitalitywhereonetakes
careofthefinancialcostswhenhostingaguest,pairedwithwhatseemslikea
socialstigmaaboutdiscussingmoney(Thisofcourseisnotthecasewhen
hagglingforgroceriesatthemarket.).
Theconversationbroughttotheforefrontmyfinancialprivilege,andthe
resultingdynamicsonourcollaboration.WhatbusinessdidIhavewaltzinginto
Keezharaandparticipatingintheirfestival?AndwhatbusinessdidIhave
enteringintoanartisticcollaborationwithDhanarajinthefirstplace?For
starters,ourentirecollaborationhadrevolvedaroundmyvisitstoIndia,as
accesstovisasandthecostoftravelweremorewithinmygraspthanDhanaraj’s.
Togiveasenseofthisfinancialdisparity,oneairlineticketfromAbuDhabito
Calicut,Kerala,isroughly75%ofDhanaraj’smonthlysalary,androughly5%of
mine.Thismeansthatthepaceofourcollaborationandexhibitions,aswellas
theprocessofcollaboratingatall,arecontingentonmyabilityandwillingnessto
traveltoIndia.Ihavebeenawareofthisdynamicfromthebeginningofour
101
collaboration,whichmademefeelagreatsenseofresponsibilityinnotletting
oure-mailexchangesorconversationslapse,andcertainlytoalwayskeepthe
dialogueveryopenandfocusedonideasandcollaborativeinterests,sothatboth
DhanarajandIwouldbeguidingtheultimateoutcomeofourprojects.Onthe
flipside,IwasalsoawarefromconversationswithDhanarajthathis
collaborationwithme,whilerootedinartisticinterestandmotivatedbya
creativeprowesstoexplorenewmodesofexpression,wasalsoadvantageousin
gaininghisworkaccessandpublicitybecauseIwasaforeigner.
WediddiscussthepossibilityofproposinganexhibitionofourworkinAbu
Dhabi,givenIworkthereandthecityhasaveryhighpopulationofexpatriate
workersfromKerala.InthisconfigurationDhanarajwouldcometoAbuDhabi
asanartist-in-residence.Thishasnotyetmaterializedforavarietyofreasons,
includingDhanaraj’spreferenceforworkingwithincommunitiesinIndia,and
therealitythattheartsceneintheU.A.E,isstillunderdevelopmentwiththeAbu
DhabiLouvrecurrentlyunderconstruction,andtheAbuDhabiGuggenheim,and
ZayedNationalMuseumpendingconstruction.Additionally,giventhehigh
numbersofmigrantlaborersfromKeralaintheUAE,thesubjectmatterofthe
exhibitioncouldbeconsideredveryrelevantparticularlyfortheexpatriates
fromSouthIndia,butitsfocusonaHindutraditionmaymakeitalessviable
pitchforagallery,sinceHinduism,whilerecognizedonvisaapplicationstoAbu
Dhabi,likeJudaism,isnotentirelysupportedbythegovernment,likeJudaism.
ManyofthepeopleImetinKeezharaspokelimitedEnglish,andIdonot
speakMalyalam;howeverIcanspeakandunderstandbasicHindi,soIwasable
tocommunicatewithsomeofthepeopleImet,especiallythosewhohadtraveled
toorhadlivedinthenorthofIndia,whereHindiisthedominantlanguage.Hindi
102
isalsotaughtinthepublicschoolsinallofSouthIndia,asitisoneofIndia’s
nationallanguages,alongwithEnglish.Dhanaraj’swife,Nisha,andtheirteenage
sonSidubothspeakEnglishverywellandservedasinformaltranslators.
OneoftheTheyyamartists,thesonofoneofthemoreseniorperformersin
Keezhara,whowasprobablyclosetofortyyearsoldhimself,toldmeabouthis
experiencemovingtoDelhifortenyearstowork.WhenIaskedhimwhyhe
movedback,hesaidthatitwasdifficulttobeawayandthattherewerefewer
youngpeoplewhoweretrainingasTheyyamartistsbecausetheyounger
generationsweremovingawaytobigcities.Hesaidheneededtocomebackto
takeonhisresponsibilitiesinTheyyam.
ExcerptfromFieldNotes:
WethenmetwiththemenwhoareapartoftheTheyyamartistfamilies. AstheyallspeakMalyalamandIdonotittooksometimetocommunicate. LuckilyoneofthesonsofoneoftheeldersoftheTheyyamfamily,spoke HindiashehadworkedinDelhifortenyears,andreturnedonlyrecentlyto fulfillhisresponsibilitieswithintheTheyyam.Iwasabletospeakwithhim inHindiabouthisexperiences,thoughhewasofcoursemostinterestedin knowingaboutme,whereIwasfrom,mymaritalstatus,etc.Itwas interestinghowevertolearnthatmanyofthekeyfamilymembersand participantsoftheTheyyamfestivalinKeezharaincludingTheyyam familiesandmusicianfamilies,oftenleavethetowntopursueothercareers. ManyofthemendupreturningtoparticipateandprepareforTheyyam.
(February15,2013)
ItisimportanttonotethatnotonlywasItheonlynon-IndianinKeezhara,
butalsotheonlypersonnotfromKerala.DespitethegrowthintourisminNorth
Malabar,veryfewforeignerstravelthroughKeezhara.Imetanumberofother
villagers,manyofthemintheirearlyfortieslikeDhanaraj,whoalsotraveled
homeeachyearforTheyyam.SomecamefromCochin,thecapitalofKerala,but
manycamefromfurtherreachingpartsofIndia,includingMumbai,Chennai,
103
Kolkata,andDelhi,andonepersonImetflewinfromQatar,wherehelivesand
works.Thoughnotallreturnannually,manyseethefestivalasanopportunityto
reunitewithfamily,friends,andclassmatesfromchildhood.Fromtheonsetit
feltthatTheyyaminKeezharaisasmuchaboutcommunityasitisacultural
festival.
3.2.2 Keezhara’sGeography ThemainroadofKeezharasnakesfromtheKoolamBhagavathyTemple,
alongthebusroutediagonallytothenortheast,withtheriversomewhat
mimickingitsmovementtothenorth.Idrewasketchofthetown,presentedin
Image3.8.
Image3.8DrawnmapofthevillageofKeezhara
3.2.3 StructureoftheFestivalandImportantEvents
104
ThebulkofmytimeinKeezharawasspenteatingwithDhanaraj’sfamily
andguests,attendingmealsattheTemple,attendingallTheyyamactivities,
sleeping,andthenwakingatoddhoursinordertoensurethatwecaughtallof
theperformances,whichwerescatteredinconsistentlythroughouteachday.To
thisdayIamnotcertainhowDhanarajknewwhattimeeachTheyyamwas
occurringandwhere,otherthanthroughwordofmouth,orbypassingthe
templegroundsandaskingaperformerwhenthingswouldcommence.The
schedulewekeptduringthefestivalisdocumentedinmyfieldnotes(Appendix
A),buthereisaroughsummaryoftheflowoftheTheyyamfestivalactivities:
9:30amwewouldwakeupandhavesomecoffeeandfood.Thenwewouldnap,
andaround12:00or12:30pmwewouldheadtothetemplefortheThottam,the
readingofthestoryofTheyyamforthatday.Afterwardwewouldcomehome
andrest,whichwouldentaileating,greetingvisitors,friends,oldclassmates,
neighbors,andfamilywhowoulddropbythroughouttheday,takingtripsinto
towntoseeoldfriendsofDhanaraj’sortoseehisoldschool,etc.
DhanarajandIwouldspendsomeofourdowntimediscussingthe
recordingsandphotographswehadtakenthroughoutthepreviousday;the
childrenwouldplay;Nisha,Dhanaraj’smother,andsomeofhisauntswould
cook;andwewouldlistentomusic.Dhanarajwouldofteneditphotographs
duringthedayandpostthemonsocialmediasites,namelyFacebook.Iwas
alwaysdiligentabouttryingtochargemyfieldequipmentandsparebatteries,as
poweroutageswerefrequentandunpredictable.At5:00pmwewouldgoback
tothetemplegroundstotalkwiththeperformersanddocumentthepreparation
fortheeveningVellatam,childhoodversionofTheyyam,theperformances,the
costuming,facepainting,etc.Around6:30pmtheVellatamperformancewould
105
begin,andvillagerswouldgatheratthetempleground.Around8:00pmwe
wouldfinallymakeourwaybacktoDhanaraj’smother’shousetorestandhave
dinner.Thenaroundmidnightwewouldreturntothebackofthetempleor
acrossthestreetfortheTheyyampreparationandperformance,whichwould
generallyendaround2:30am.Thenwewouldgohomeandsleep.
ExcerptsfromFieldNotes:
Iwenttosleepat2:30amafterthepreviousevening’sfestivities.Iwokeup at9:30amaftermostofthehousehadalreadybeenawakeforatleast2 hours.Thesmallamountpeoplesleephereamazesme.ButIguessit’slike beinginacabininthewoodsonvacationandallofyourrelativeswhoyou arehappytosee,showingupatoddtimestodropinandhangout. MeanwhileIhavedevelopedacold,sincethefirstday,andmynosehasbeen runninglikemad,nottomentionaslightlydryanditchythroat.The goodnewsisthatit’smanageable,despiteblowingmynoseintoanything nearby,andtodayNishaandDhanarajwillgotothenexttownoverto fetchsomesuppliesincludingVitaminCtabletsforme.
NowbacktoTheyyam.Todaytheschedulewillchangeabitfromprevious
days.Around12-noontherewillbetheThottam,whichhashappenedevery daysincewearrived.TheThottamisbasicallyaRitualsong,wherethe performersplayadrumbeatinaninterestingandvariedway,andthenat fullspeedreciteanoraltraditionoftheTheyyamstory.Thereareelders fromtheperformancefamilywhowillstandbytoensurethattheoral traditionstoryisproperlyrecited,andtheywilljump-inandaddlinesif necessary.Theelderswillalsostepinforthecharacters,iftheyneeda break,ortotakerest.Sometimesthejuniorfamilymemberhasnot memorizedalloftheThottamstory,andsoaseniormemberwilltake overforpartofthestorythatthejuniormember,oftentheirsonor nephew,hasnotyetlearned.
WeattendedtheThottamat12:30pm.Tookimagesofcoconutsmashing
afterThottamandtookrecordingsofchatting.Dhanarajhaspicsofme withschoolkidsandhisbestfriends.Wehadpoa(food)atthetempleafter thottam.Thottamisbasicallythestoryofwhatisgoingtohappenthatday. Itisalloralandthereisnowrittendocumentationthatpeoplehereknow about.ThestoryisinSanskritandveryfewpeoplecanunderstanditunless theyhavereallystudiedwiththeTheyyamfamilies.Dhanarajmayknow thestoriesfromyearsoflistening.
(February17,2013)
106
AllThottamsarereadingonestory,whichisthestoryofthefourthday’s eveningperformancewithKesthrapalamandThayaparadevatha.Theyare reallytellingthestoryofThayaparadevathawhoistheMotherGoddess, andtheKeezharatempleishertemple.TheThottamisthestoryofwhoshe is,wheresheisfrom,howshecametothisplace,etc.TheThottamalso givesdifferentnamesfortheMotherGoddess.Theyyamisalsoperformed exclusivelybythebackwardscaste.ThestorysaysthatDaiva,thegod,was inhumanform-abackwardscasteperson[Pulaya]whowaskilledbya forwardcasteperson.WhenDaivabecameagodshe/hetookrevengeon theforwardcaste.ForthisreasonTheyyamispreformedalwaysbythe Backwardscaste[thePulayas].”
Theyyamisfundamentallyitseemsaboutcommunity.Theyyamin
KeezharaisaritualtraditionthatmaintainsHindudevotionalpracticesto theland,tofire,towater,andoveralltotheearth.ThestoryoftheTiger Theyyam,asNishatellsit,isthatlongbackwhenpeoplefoundKeezhara, theywantedtosettlehere,tobuildhuts,andtofarm,etc.Nowtheplaceisa townof1500families,surroundedbytallhillsandbyariverononeside. Whenthepeoplecame,theybegantobuildandsettleandtheydisrupted theanimalsandnaturalecosystemofthearea.Thetigersbecameangry andtherewasaclash,wherebythepeoplefoughtthetigersanditwas awful.Fromthatpointforwardlegendhasitthatthepeopleconducted ritualprayerandcelebrationbywayoftheTheyyamfestival.Theyyamin Keezharaisthepeopleaskingthetigersforpermissiontoco-existontheir land.
(February19,2013)
Thefestivalbeganwithalongparadedownthesamemainroadwehad
walkedearlierintheday.Therewerevillagersliningtheroadallthewayfrom
themaintemplegroundstoasmalltemplethreequartersofamiledownthe
road.Beforetheparadebegan,Dhanaraj,Sidu,andIwenttothesmalltemple,
whichwasmuchsmallerandfurtherintothetown.Therevillagers,Theyyam
artists,andschoolchildrenweregathered,assemblingelaborateofferingsforthe
Gods.Thesmallertemplegroundwascomprisedofthetemple,asmallman-
madewateringholewithstepsleadingdowntothewaterthatlookedsomewhat
likeanancientJewishmikvah,andgreeneryandtrees.Themenpreparingthe
offeringswalkedupanddownthestepstowardthewateringhole,forareasonI
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couldnotmakesenseof.Itwasdifficulttotelliftheywerewashingthemselves
ortheofferingsorpossiblyboth.Theadultmenwerewearinglungis,alsocalled
vestis,thetraditionalmen’sclothinginKerala.Thesecanbewhitewithastripeof
color,oroftenheavilypatteredandcolorfulpiecesoffabricthatthemenwill
wraparoundtheirwaistasclothing.Thelungiisfloorlengthafterbeing
wrappedaroundthewaist,butitiscommonformentograbthetwo
bottommostendsofthelungithatalmosttouchthegroundandpullthemup
towardtheirwasteagain,tyingaknotwiththeendsofthefabric.Thiscreatesa
shorterlungithatfallsabovetheknee.Thisshorterversioniscommonin
Keezharaasitiscoolerandeasiertomovein.Themenwhowerepreparingthe
offeringsatthesmalltemplewereallwearingwhitelungiswithagoldstripe.
Thesearetraditionalattirewornforreligiouspurposes,andseenoften
throughouttheTheyyamfestival,wornbythetempleminders,themusicians,
andseveralothermembersofthecommunitylikethosepreparingtheofferings.
NishatoldmethatinKeezhara,aswellasherownvillagelocatedtwenty
kilometersaway,thepeoplewhocareforthecoconuttreesthatareusedfor
offeringstothegodsaregovernedbyverystrictdietaryandbehavioral
practices,notjustduringTheyyam,butthroughouttheyear.Shesaidthatitisa
veryseriousmatterandthemenwhoareresponsiblefortheofferingsare
consideredtobeverypurebythecommunity.
ExcerptfromFieldNotes:
Notjustanyonecanclimborcultivatethecoconuttree,andthecoconuts areonlyusedfordevotionandasanofferingtothegods.Theperson whocaresforandpaystributetothetreewilleatonlypurefoods,andwill thenfastafterwhichtheywillclimbthecoconuttreeandblessthefruits. Thiswillhappenregularlyfortemplerelatedfunctions,worship,festivals, etc.SomeonefromthecoconutfamilywillparticipateinTheyyamandhis friendsandfamilywillcometoTheyyamtosupporthim.Similarlythe
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fishermenwillcomeandbesupportedbytheirfriendsandfamily.(Tribe andclan)
(February2013)
Theofferingsthatthemenatthesmalltemplewereputtingtogether
consistedoftendercoconutsandavarietyoffruitsthatwerestrungontolong
bamboorods,whichwerethencarriedbythechildrenofthevillagedownthe
roadfromthesmalltempletowardthemaintemplegrounds.Theseofferings
weresoabundantandplentifulthattheywerealmoststackedontopofone
anotheronthegroundadjacenttothesanctumoftheBhagavadtemple,infront
ofthetwowoodenchairswheretheTheyyamwouldultimatelysitafterdancing
theirwayfromthesmalltemple.Thesechairsaresaidtobespecialandonlyfor
gods.
Inaddition,therewereseveralplacesinthefieldalongtheroadfromthe
smalltempletotheBhagavadtemplewherelargebundlesofdriedweedswere
tiedwithtwineanderected,standingsomewherebetween8and10feettallin
themiddleofthefield.Thesebundleswerelaterlitonfire,astheTheyyam
dancedtheirwaytothemaintemplegrounds,theimagebelowportraysthe
burningbundles.
Image3.9Aburningbundleoffthesideofthemmainroad
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TwoTheyyamdancedthroughthecrowdanddownthestreetafterthe
childrenpassedwithofferings,theiranklejewelryclankingandshaking
aggressively,makingdistinctivebuterraticpercussivesounds.Theyyam
drummerswalkeddownthestreet,flankingtheTheyyam,drummingloudlyto
announcetheTheyyam’spresencetothecrowd.ThetwoTheyyamweredancing
aggressively,almostjumpingattimes,andspinningaroundastheydanced,
movingfromonesideofthestreettotheotherastheyslowlymadetheirway
downtheroad.Theirmovementwaserratic,almostasthoughtheywere
intoxicated;thissignifiestheTheyyam’sprocessoftransformationintoaGod.
ItiscommonaspartofpreparationandperformancefortheTheyyamto
drinktoddy,analcoholicbeveragemadeoffermentedsapfromacoconutpalm.
Thereisaspecialtoddy-drinkingvesselusedinTheyyam;itismadeofsteeland
issmalllikealittleteapot.Ononesidethereisacurvedspout;thisistheside
thatonlygodsmaydrinkfrom.Thenthereisanopeningatthetopofthevessel
wherethetoddyispouredin;thisisthepartwhereotherpeopleaffiliatedwith
theTheyyamperformancedrinkfrom—oftenthispartisdonebehindthescenes.
AtoneTheyyamperformanceinavillageinKannur,Iwasgiventhetoddyvessel
asaforeignvisitor,andtoldtodrinkonlyfromthetop,asthespoutwasforgods
only.TheTheyyammadetheirwaytothemaintemple,andrightoutsideonthe
templegroundstheysatontwowoodenseats,specialforTheyyamGods,which
theyhadnowbecome.Piledhighbetweentheseatsandthecrowdwerethe
offeringsbroughtbythechildren.
ExcerptfromFieldNotes:
Around6:30/7pmcrowdsbegantogatherontheroadbetweenthemain templeandthesmallertempledowntheroad.YoungChildrenlinedupand carriedfruitsthroughtheprocession,adrumminggroupledthewayand
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manypeopleholdingumbrellaswerecreatingapassagewayforthe performerswithintheparade.Thetwomaincharactersranupanddown thepassagewaydancingandperformingallthewaydowntheroad.
Meanwhilelargestacksandpilesofhaywerebeingburnedtothegroundall
aroundthecrowds.Someofthesehugebundlesofhayandstraw,etc.were stooduperectinthemiddleofanemptyfield,andthenlit,creatingan illuminatingglowthatburnedforagoodhalfhour,andspreadembers throughoutthefestivities.
Theprocessionmovedintothefieldadjacentthemaintemple,wherethe
twomaincharacterswerecompletelysurroundedbypilesandpilesof tendercoconuts,bananasontheirstalks,babyjackfruit,andotherseasonal fruits.ThetwoTheyyamsatinspecialwoodenTheyyamseatsaspeoplefed themtendercoconutwater,etc.
TheattentionofthefestivitiesthenshiftstotheShivajiMalam,whichtakes
placeinthebackoftheopenfieldadjacentthetemple,wheredrummers andotherinstrumentalistsperformawesomerhythmpiecesalongwith coordinateddancing,thereareprobably20-25drummers,andtheyare surroundedbyacircleoffestivalattendees.
Thenightconcludesinthisfashionandultimatelycomestoanendwitha
thirty-minutelong,andveryloud,fireworkscelebration,whichwassetoff fromtherivernearby.Thefireworkshadaninterestinglyrhythmic continuouspresentaboutthem.Therewasthena2amTheyyambutIwent tosleepanddidnotattendthese,asIwastooexhausted.
(February15,2013
Aroundnoonthefollowingdaywemadeourwaytothemaintemple,which
wedideverysubsequentdayofthefestivaltowitnesstheThottam,or
storytellingportionofthefestival.
“Thetermthottamisderivedfromthewordsothram[aSanskritword
meaningahymnaddressedtoDivinity,intheformofconversation,
prayer,ordescription].Duringthethottam,thehistoryoftheyyamisalso
narrated,literally“thottam”means“tocreate,”or“appear.”Theyyam
artistsprayinfrontofthekaav,orsanctum,andaredressedwithared
clothcoveringtheirhead.SomebelievethatThottamisbasicallya
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realizationthroughwhichTheyyamartistsbecomeconvertedintoGods”
(Santosh,2013,p.33).
DuringThottamtheTheyyamartistslineupfacingthesanctumofthe
TempleandrecitethestoryoftheTheyyaminSanskrit,alanguagethatfewif
anyoftheperformersorvillagersunderstand.PerformerslearntheThottam
storiesthroughoraltradition,nottext,whichhasbeenpasseddownthrough
countlessgenerations.Therecitationisdonesoquicklythateveniftherewasa
teacherofSanskritlistening,itisunlikelythatthepersonwouldbeabletocatch
mostofthewords.
AsDhanaraj,Nisha,Sidu,andIapproachedthetemplewehadtofirst
removeoursandalsandleavethemoutsidethefour-foot-highconcretewall
whichseparatedthatwhichisconsideredoutsideofthetempleareafromthat
whichisconsideredtheoutdoorareaofthetemple.(Image3.10).Removing
sandalsisgeneralpracticebeforeenteringanyHindutemple.Theoutdoorarea
wassmall,thesameplacewhereIpaidthegentleman500rupeestheprevious
day.Ithadafloorofsand-coloreddirtandathatchedpermanentcoveringto
keeptheareacoolfromthemiddaysunanddryfromrain.Therewasabench
againstthewallofthesanctum,anddirectlyinthemiddleofthewallwasan
openwindowcutoutintheconcrete,whichwasnevertobeblocked,asthe
goddessissaidtobeinside,anditistheplacewherepeoplestandandprayto
thegoddess.Inthemiddleofthisoutdoorspace,suspendedfromtheceiling,
directlyacrossfromthecutoutwindowofthesanctum,wasabrassoillamp
referredtoasadiyaorPujalamp.Thediyahung3feetabovethegroundona
longchain,andwasfilledwithcoconutoilandalongcottonthreadthatwas
twistedandimmersedintheoilthenlit.Thiswasalsoaccompaniedbyanother
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diyathatsatonthefloorandstoodtwotothreefeethigh,againdirectlyfacing
thewindowtothesanctum.Images3.10and3.11provideavisualunderstanding
ofthelayoutofthemaintemplegrounds,alongwithadepictionofthebefore
mentioneddiyasandTheyyamperformersduringtheThottam.
Image3.10TheTempleandassociatedgroundsImage3.11Thottamperformance
TheThottamperformancelookedvisuallysimilareachday,with
performersandmusiciansstandingoutsideofthetemplegroundsfacinginward
towardthesanctum(Image3.11).Themainperformerwearsaredcostumethat
consistsofalungi-likebottompieceandaredheadcoveringthatisaffixedtothe
performer’sheadwithflowingfabricthatdrapesdownhisback,andheis
holdingadrum.Thedrum,orchenda,asitiscalledinMalyalam,wasmediumin
sizeandslungoverhisrightshoulder;itiscylindricalandhastwodrumming
surfaces—onewhichheplayswithawoodenmalletwithhisrighthand,andthe
otherwhichhebeatswithhislefthand.HeisthemainperformerofthisThottam
andthepeoplesurroundinghimplayrolesinsupportinghistransformationand
recitation.
TohisleftthereisanotherTheyyamperformerwhowearsawhitelungi
witharedpieceoffabricdownthefrontandnoshirtandhaswhitebodypaint
onthischestandarms.Healsoholdsasmallerdrumofthesamedesigninthe
sameorientationbutplaysitonlywithhishands.Behindthetwoofthemare
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theeldestperformersofTheyyaminthevillagewhostandbypreparedtostepin
andrecitetheThottamifthemainperformerintheredheaddressforgetsa
pieceofthestory.
Totheperformers’rightarethethreereligiousminders,whotendtothe
Theyyamgods,aswellasthetemporaryspiritualspacesandmaterials
throughoutthefestival.Theyarealladornedinwhitelungiwithgoldtrimand
haveminimalwhitebodypaintinasimilardesigntothatofthemainperformer.
Totheperformers’leftisanotherdrummerwithanevenlargerdrum.In
additiontothepeopleIhavedescribed,thereareseveralTheyyammusicians
whostandroughlytwentyfeetbehindtheperformers,astheThottamnearsits
conclusion.Theconfigurationofmusicianschangesslightlydaytoday,buton
thisfirstdaytherewerefivemusiciansplayinglargecylindricaldrumslikethose
playedbytheperformer,butwithonedrumheadfacingupwardandone
hangingtowardtheground.Theseareplayedwithtwosticks,knownaskoal,
thataresimilarinlengthtotraditionalwesterndrumkitsticks,butwiderand
withaslightcurvetowardthetop.Ratherthenhittingthedrumhead-onwith
thepointofthestick,thedrummershitthelengthofthecurvedportionofthe
stickagainstthedrumhead.Twomusicianswereplayingadoublereedflute-like
instrumentcalledacheenikkuzhal.Thewordkuzhalmeanspipeflutein
Malyalam,andthecheenikkuzhalisthespecificflutethatismadeforandused
duringTheyyam.Theinstrumenthasawoodenbodywithholesattheendof
whichthereisabronzehorn.Theperformersplaytheinstrumentbyblowing
directlyintothedoublereedandclosingsmallholeswithbothhands,withthe
hornfacingawayfromthemandtowardtheground.Onsomedaysafinger
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cymbalplayerjoinedtheensemble.Thesemusicianshelptosignalthe
conclusionoftheThottamrecitationdaily(seeImage3.12).
Image3.12MusiciansandeldersfromtheperformanceartistfamiliesduringThottamTheTheyyamperformerspeaksthestoryinafast-pacedrhythmiccadence
whilemaintainingatrance-likedemeanorandtone.Heaccompaniesthe
recitationbyhittinghisdruminawaythatemphasizesandguidestherhythm.
Eachday’sThottamlastsroughly30minutes.
ThesonicenvironmentsurroundingtheThottamwascomposedofthe
soundsofeverydaylifegoingonasusual.ThisiscommonforHinducelebrations
inIndiantemples,astheyareoftenonthemainroadandopenair,allowing
soundsfromtheoutsidein.ThemainbusstopinKeezharaisdirectlynexttothe
temple,25feetfromwheretheThottamtakesplace,andlikemostIndianbusses,
theseareloud,theyhonk,andthenscreechwhentheymakeastop.Thereis
thenthehustleandbustleofpeoplegettingonandoffthebus,aswellas
motorcycleandautomobilehonking,whichinIndiagenerallyisawaytoalert
someonetoyourpresenceasadriver,andassuchhappenswithgreatfrequency.
Additionallytherewerethesoundsofvendorssettingupstallsonthegrounds
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behindthetempleinpreparationfortherestoftheday’sactivities,aswellas
manypeoplewhoarewalking,gathering,andtalkingaroundthetemple.The
largeBuddhatreessurroundingthetempleswayedasthewindblowsandallof
thesesoundscreatethesoundscapeofThottam.(Refertosoundclip
Thottam.wav)
Infrontofthemainperformertherewasamicrophonetospeakinto.The
microphoneatThottamisaninterestingmodern-dayadditiontothe
performancethatisnoticeablyabsentfromVellatamandTheyyamperformances
throughoutthefestival.Themicrophoneisattachedtotwospeakersfacing
outward—nottowardthetemplebutrathertowardthevillage,sothatthe
villagerscanheartheThottamrecited.TheThottamperformanceswerenot
wellattended;inadditiontoDhanaraj,Nisha,andmyselftherewereusuallyonly
ahandfulofvillageonlookers,mostsittingonabenchwiththeirbackstothe
sanctum,facingtheperformers.IwassurprisedthatonlookersoftheThottam,
thoughoftencaptivated,werecasualintheirmovementsandpersonalchatterin
awaythatIdidnotexperienceduringtheTheyyamandVellatamperformances.
Images3.13and3.14capturemusiciansandperformanceartistsinthemidstof
performance.
Image3.13:Thottamritual(left)Image3.14CheenikkuzhalplayeranddrummersduringaneveningTheyyamperformance
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TheyoungergenerationsofTheyyamperformancefamilieslearnthe
dancesandoraltraditionspiecebypiece,andinthecaseoftheThottam,they
maynothavefullylearnedanindividualThottambeforetheyareaskedto
performtherecitationinfrontofthetemple.WhentheThottamreaderforgetsa
line,theelderbehindhimbeginsrecitingfromwherethestorywasstopped,but
doesnotstepuptothemicrophone(Image3.13).Theeldersstandbehindor
nexttothereader,andbesidethemareseveraldrummerswhohelptokeepthe
beatofThottam,whichisrattledoffinafashionIcanbestlikentofastspoken
poetrythatIhaveheard.
ThoughtheThottamperformanceisunderattended,thevillagerswhodo
gatherforThottamlistenandwatchwithgreatfocus,almostameditative
responsetothesomewhattrance-likespeedyrhythmicrecitation.Inoticedmy
responsetotheThottamasoneofarhythmicfocus,whereIbecamelostinthe
drummingandthebeat,thoughIfoundmyattentionwander,astheThottamis
lengthyandthereisnophysicalmovementbeyondthebeatingofthedrums.
ThisisinstarkcontrasttotheVellatamandTheyyamperformances,wherethere
isalotofmovementandoftenfire,sometimesinmotionandsometimesstill.
BecauseofthestillnessofThottam,thiswasalsothetimeineachdaywhereIfelt
mypresenceasanoutsidermostapparent.Thoughtherewerefewonlookers,
theThottamdoeshappenattheHinduTemple,andthosewhocomearefromthe
village;allknowoneanotherandallknowtheperformers.Forthose30minutes
eachmorningIclearlystuckout,despitemywell-suitedandbrightlycolored
salwarkameezoutfit,whichmatchedtheclothingofsomeofthewomeninthe
community.ItwasclearthatIwasfromelsewhere,andthelackofnoise,crowds,
movement,andfiremadethatmostapparent.
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3.2.4 PressCoverage
Withinthefirstfewdaysofmyvisit,afriendofDhanaraj’swhoworkedfor
alocalMalyalampaperaskedmetowriteanarticleaboutmyvisittoKeezhara,
inlargepart,asheexplainedit,tohelpinformthetownofwhoIwas,whereI
camefrom,andwhyIhadarrivedwithavarietyoftechnicalequipment.
Dhanarajagreedthiswouldmakesenseandhelptoexplainmypresencetothe
community,whowouldrespecthisguest,butforwhomWesternvisitorswere
notcommon.Additionally,theTheyyamartistsdidnotallowjustanyoneto
documenttheirwork,andthoughDhanarajhadbeenphotographing,filming,
drawing,andpaintingthemforyears,myvisitwasthefirsttimeheaskedthem
toallowanotherpersontoparticipateindocumentingtheirwork.
Image3.15AnArticlefromaMalyalampaperonmythirddayinKeezharaduring
aVellatamperformance.Iamontherightwithheadphones,holdingamicrophone, andDhanaraj’ssonSiduisstandingnexttomeassistingwiththerecording.
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3.2.5 RelevantImagesandSounds
FirstIwillexploretheorganologicalsoundsfromthefestival;thisfocuses
onwaysthecommunityusesthingsthatmakesound,andhowtheperformersof
thefestivalutilizeobjectswithaparticularknownfunctionforacompletely
differentpurpose.ThepeopleofKeezharaareusingthingsaroundthem,suchas
plantsandfruit,tocreatethingsthatmakesoundfortheirfestival,whichIthen
documentedthroughfieldrecordings.
AsIpreviouslymentioned,fishareakeypartoftheTheyyamfestivalin
Keezhara,andthefishermeninthetownplayakeyroleinthisannualfestivalby
spendingonedayfromsunuptonearsundownfishingforaparticulartypeof
smallsilverfishintheriver,thattheycanthenpresenttothegod.Thesounds
thataccompanythefishfestivitiesbeginasthefishermenwalkfromtheriver
downthemainroadtowardthetemple.Therewerepeoplelinedupawaiting
thefishermenalldowntheroad,andtheirentrancewascelebratedwith
scamperingandexcitementamongthevillageyoungsters,aswellasloudfast
drummingthatguidedthefishermen,astheycarriedtheirneatlyorganized
strandsofsilverfishhanginglikewindchimesfrombamboopoles,towardthe
templegrounds.Thedrummers,fluteplayer,andhandcymbalistwailedavery
fastrhythmthathoveredaround158beatsperminute,hittingouteighth,
sixteenth,andthirty-secondnotesforafewminutesasthefishermenwalkedto
thetempleanddisplayedthestringsofsilverfishonbambooasanofferingfor
thegods.
ExcerptfromFieldNotes:
TodaythereisanotherTheyyamaboutfish.ApparentlyTheyyamistheone time,whenpeoplefromalldifferentcasteswillcometogetheratthemain
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temple.Theyyambringsallofthesepeopletogether,inawaynothingelse intheirdailyliveswill.Thefishermencomefromaparticularcasteand theywillparticipateinaTheyyamtoday.Alldaythesefishermenhavebeen attheriver,tryingtofishforthisonetypeofsilverfishthatswimsnearthe surface.Nooneelsewillfishintherivertoday.Fromearlyinthemorning thefishermenwillbefishingandprayingintheriver,inordertocatch enoughfishtogivetothegodsattheeveningTheyyam.
(February17,2013)Fire,fireworks,andburningbundlesofpalmfrondsplayalargeroleinthe
festival(Image3.16).Theopeningceremonyofthefestivalinvolvesaritualistic
burningofseveral10-to12-foot-highbundlesofwhatlookedlikedriedpalm
frondsatdifferentpointsalongthepathbetweenthetwotemplesinKeezhara.
Thesoundandsmelloftheburningfrondspavesthewayforthedanceofthe
twoTheyyamfromthesmalltempletothelargertemple.Attheendofthe
evening,aftertheTheyyamhaveconcludedtheirperformances,thereisa
twenty-minutefireworkscelebrationovertherivernearby.Thefireworkshave
aninterestingrhythmtothem,whichseemtomimicsomeoftheTheyyamstyle
drummingfromearlierintheevening,anditcertainlyevokesacontinuous
present.Thefireworksattheirpeak,whichrunforaminuteandahalfalmost
nonstop,havearhythmofabout120beatsperminute.Thesyncopationofthe
fireworkblasts,oneafteranotherafteranotherrapidlyexplodinginthesky,
mimicthatofthedrummer’sstickshittingthedrums,andtheperformers’
percussiveanklejewelrywhentheirfeethitthehardpackeddirtofthetemple
grounds,rapidlymovingupanddownastheymovewithsuddenerraticmotion
signalingtheirembodimentbyagod.Thisanklejewelry,calledchilambu,isa
hardhollowsilverankletfilledwithsmallpiecesofsolidmetalmaterialthat
createpercussivesoundswhentheperformermoves;itiswornaroundtheankle
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andthereisaprotrudingsilvernubthatisplacedabovethetoes,apieceoftwine
isthreadedintoaneyeholeonthesilvernubandthenaroundthelargetoeof
theperformer’sfoot.Performerstraditionallywearonechilambuoneachankle.
Onadifferentdayofthefestival,villagemenruntothetopoftwoofthe
townsfourhillswithburningbunchesoffronds,racingtobethefirsttoreturn
backtothetemple.Weseefireusedthroughoutthefestivalinmanyways,both
asastand-aloneaction,aswellasfirethatismanipulatedbyhumans,asisthe
casewiththehillrunningritualdescribedabove.ManyoftheTheyyamrituals
andperformancesareaccompaniedbythesoundsofcracklingfire,burningpalm
fronds,andfirethatisbeingwieldedtodrawfocustoorawayfromsomething.
Image3.16Fireworksilluminatedtheskytosignifythefirstnightofthefestival.
Hardbrowncoconutsareusedwithgreatfrequencyinthefestival.In
additiontobeingleftatthetempleasanofferingforthegoddess,eachdayafter
thereadingoftheThottam(thestoryofThayaparadevatha,theMother
Goddess),thetempleminderssmashahardcoconutagainstastoneinthe
temple,allowingthejuicetoexplodeeverywhere(Image3.17).Theshellsare
thencollected.ThissoundofthesmashingcoconutconcludestheThottam
readingoneachdayofthefestival.Thesehardcoconutsareusedfrequentlyby
theTheyyamcharactersaswell,duringtheirperformances,andareoften
smashedagainsttheirspecialwoodenstoolsinthemidstofaperformance.The
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soundcreatedbythissmashismaskedbythelouddrummingthatcreatesthe
suspenseofthepre-smashtosmashportionoftheTheyyam’sperformance.The
visualofthecoconutis,however,mesmerizing.Duringthedaylighthours,inthe
exampleofthecoconutsmashedattheconclusionofThottam,thecoconutsplits
intomanypiecesandthecoconutmilkflieseverywhere.Duringtheevening
Theyyamperformances,thecoconut,milk,andpiecesofthehardshellofthe
coconutfly,buttheTheyyamisunflinchingwhenthrowingthecoconut,andonly
thevillageonlookersregistertheimpactofthesmashingcoconut.11
Anotheruseofthecoconutshellthatisimportantbutdoesnotcontribute
tothefestivalsonically,isasavesselforthemixingandholdingofnaturalface
andbodypaintsthatareusedtopainttheTheyyamcharacters(Image3.18).
Theyyamfacepaintisafascinatingareaofstudyuntoitself;thereisonepaperI
amawareofstrictlyfocusedonthetopicoffaceandbodypaint,entitled,“Face
MakeUpofTheyyam,”writtenbySantoshK.V.anartistfromKeezhara(Santosh,
2013).ImetSantoshinKeezharainFebruary2013throughDhanaraj.Santosh’s
artisticworkisexcellentinitsownrightandhasbeenexhibitedaroundIndia.In
hismaster’sthesis,Santoshspeaksofthestarkdifferencesbetweentheface
paintingtechniquesofeachindividualTheyyamindifferentcommunities.He
tellshisreadersofthebasicrulesoffacepaintinginTheyyam:
Forfacepainting[the]faceshouldbecleanandhygienic.Thereshouldnot
beanykindofoilovertheface.Thoughaccordingtotheartisttheymay
makeimaginaryartisticskillsintheworknothingisallowedtoaddtothe
existingone.(Santosh,2013,p.95).11TendergreencoconutsarenotascommonlyfoundinKeezhara.Infactthevillagersspendweeksgatheringthesetendercoconutsthatserveavarietyofcriticalrolesinthefestival.TheTheyyamcharactersdrinkthetendercoconutwaterandacceptthemasofferingsandchildrenparticipateincarryingthesecoconutsaroundthevillageaspartofthefestival.
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Hegoesontoexplainseveralofthedesignswithinthefacepainting:
Eightangles,circle,halfcircle,crescent,triangle,squaresandstraightlines
arevividlyfocusedonthefaceoftheTheyyam.Sotheartistshouldhave
suchagoodconcentrationandcarewhilehedoesthesamewhilehepaints.
Ifthereisanymistakethencompletedrawingshouldbechanged.(Santosh,
2013,p.95).
SrihariNairalsospeaksabouttheintricaciesoftheTheyyamfacepainting,
inthefollowingexcerptfromTheTheyyamCharisma:
TheFacialPaintingisauniquepatternforeachTheyyamandthisspeaks
volumesabouttheeffortsmadetogiveameticuloustouchanddistinctive
appearancetoeachTheyyam.ThemaindifferenceofeachTheyyamoccurs
onthebaseofsquareandcirclelines,Crescentshape,andreddish
moustache.Theseareakindofwheetsontheforeheadforthefamous
Theyyams,like‘Vishnumoorthi’,BaliandMoonnyeeshwaran.Thereisa
crescentshapeovertheforeheadwhichisportrayedonthe‘Manayola’,is
thespecialfeatureof‘Poomaran”,Pulikandan‘MadayilChamundi’
Vetakorumakan.’(Nair,2000,p.1).
Image3.17TempleMinderssmashingacoconutafterdailyThottam(left)Image3.18 Theyyamartistpaintsthefaceofanotherartistinpreparationforperformance(center) Image3.19AlargepileofcoconutssitsinfrontoftwoTheyyamasanoffering
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ThereareseveraltraditionalsonictoolsattheepicenteroftheTheyyam
festival.Theseincludethreedifferentsizesofasimilarlybuiltdrum,smallhand
symbols,onekindoffluteplayedonlyatTheyyam,andawidevarietyofcostume
materialsthatserveasrhythmictoolswhentheTheyyamdance.Thisincludesa
commonlyusedsetofsilveranklejewelrythatgoesaroundtheperformer’s
ankleandattachtothebigtoe,aswellasseveralotherpieceswornhigherupon
theanklethatincludessilverandcowryshell(SeeImages3.20and3.21)
Image3.20BasketindressingroomwithTheyyamcostumeitems(left),Image3.21Theyyamperformergettingintocostumeandputtingonankleandfootjewelry(right)
3.3 SectionThree:TheExhibition
3.3.1 EverydayLife:ARepertoireofRitualandPerformance
InDecember2014wemountedtheexhibition,entitledEverydayLife:A
RepertoireofRitualandPerformance,inKannur,Kerala,attheIndianMedical
AssociationHall,commonlyreferredtoasIMAHall.Manyofthecommunity
membersfromKeezharamadetheirwaytotheexhibitionthroughouttheweek,
includingseveraloftheTheyyamartists.
Thefocusofmycontributiontotheexhibitionwastocreateasoundscape
thatdeepenedtheworkthatDhanarajhadcreated.Hisfocusonthe
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marginalizationofthelowercastemembersofhiscommunity,theroleTheyyam
holdswithinKeezhara,andtheroleTheyyamfamiliesplayinthisfestival,were
themotivationsbehindmuchofhiswork.Theyyamisabright,colorfulfestival
thatisoftenhighlightedonthefrontoftravelguidestoSouthernIndia,and
Dhanaraj’sfocuswastobringattentiontotherealpeoplebehindthemasques,
wholivetheirlivesinservicetothisreligiousfestival.Myfocusandintention
wastocreateasoundscapethathelpedtodrawattentiontothethemesof
Dhanaraj’sworkbycommunicatingourideasandconcernsaboutcaste
marginalizationthroughsound.
Ourhopewasthattheexhibitionwouldchallengeaudiencestolookbeyond
theirownassumptionsofthefestivalandevenoftheexhibitionandartwork
itself,toseethedeeperconnectionofselfwithother.Thisthemepermeates
Dhanaraj’spaintings,drawings,andphotographs,andthroughourcollaboration
wedevelopedanapproachtocommunicatethesesameideasaurallyinmy
soundscape.
Thefollowingwasthedescriptionoftheexhibitionthatweprovidedto
mediaoutfitsandplacedonthewalloftheexhibitionhall.
ThisExhibitisavisualandsonicexplorationofthepeoplewhoperform
Theyyam.Theartistsareinterestedinexploringthemargins,thegaps,the
spaces,andtheplaceswherethepeopleexist.Theywanttoconsiderthe
relationshipbetweenhumansandGodsasitislaidoutforusinthe
Theyyamfestival.Thereisnoconversationoftheintermediary,theplace
andspacebetweenthehuman,theTheyyamperformerandthe‘character’
theyareembodying,ortheGods:Thisexhibitionwillexplorethatspace.
Godsareunreachableornottouchablebyhumanbeingsinthesensethat
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theyaregodly,andunavailabletothecommonperson.Thisexhibitbrings
focustothethingsthataretouchableandthataretouching,thesearethe
humanmoments.
Thereisanintendedplayonwordsherebyfocusingonthetouchable,those
thingstouchedbyhumans,whilerecognizingthatthethemedrivingthisart
workisanexplorationofmarginalization,specificallyaimedtobringattentionto
theuntouchablesofthecommunity.
Theaimwasfortheaudiencewastofeelsomethingintheirchest,totake
noticeofparticularsoundsofTheyyamthroughmyaccentuatingoraugmenting
aspectsoftherecordedsound.Thesesoundsoftouching,orinteractivity
betweenhumansandtheworldaroundusmaybecomesearingorshockingto
thelistener.Thesesoundsofhumanstouchingthingsbringahyperfocustothe
tactileandhumanelementsoftheTheyyamfestival,whileintentionally
sidesteppingtheintrigueoftheperformativecharacterizationsandcostumes.
ThesesamethemesareexploredinDhanaraj’spaintingsanddrawings,
wherehefocusesontheperformersthemselves,andthethingstheyaredoing
whentheyarenotembodiedbygods.Inonesuchexample,hepaintsaTheyyam
performerwhoisinlayclothesandisdressingtheotherperformerinhis
costume;inanother,amultimediaphotographandlinedrawingpiece,hedepicts
aTheyyamcharacterinbrightTechnicoloradornedinanelaboratecostume,and
thenalinedrawingofaperformer,paintingontheTheyyam’smakeup.This
latterpieceisquitestrikingasDhanarajcontrastsbrightcolorswithablack-and-
whitelinedrawinginordertobringattentiontothepersonwhoisactually
puttingontheTheyyam’smakeup(seeImages3.22and3.23).
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Image3.22PaintingbyDhanarajKeezharaImage3.23MixedMediapiecebyDhanrajKeezhara
3.3.2 CollectingMaterialsandFieldRecordings
Wespenttimewiththeperformers,talkingtothem,photographing,and
recordingtheirpreparationtimeinthestructure.Dhanarajwouldgivemevery
subtlecuesfromthebeginningregardinghowInavigatedmyrelationshiptothe
spaceinsidethestructure.Heinitiallyguidedmethroughwheretostand,and
whatanglestoshootorrecordfrom,thatwouldensureIwasnotintheway.
Thiscommunicationwasdifficult,astherulesseemedtoshiftastimewenton,
possiblybecausetheperformersbecamewearierthroughouttheweek,requiring
greaterfocus.
DhanarajandIspenttimewiththeperformerswhiletheypreparedfora
performance.Thereweretwo-walledtemporarystructuressetupacrossfrom
themaintemplegrounds,wheretheperformerskepttheircostumes,applied
theirmakeup,atefood,andevenslept.Thisstructurehadnofloorandno
ceiling;itwasmadefromseveralwoodenbeamsthatweredugintotheground,
smallerbranchesthatwereattachedhorizontallytothesebeamsfromthe
grounduptothetop,whichwasroughlysevenandahalffeettall.Palmfronds
werethenusedtocoverthestructure,sothatthetwowallsdidcreateavisual
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barrier.Thewallsofthetwo-sidedstructurewereadornedwithmany
performanceitemsfromcostumestoclothing,tofreshpalmfrondsfor
ceremoniesallthrownoverthewallsortuckedintothewallbetweenthe
woodenbranches.Thefloorwasuncovereddirtwheretheperformerswouldsit
andlieformakeup,puttingonpercussiveandtraditionaljewelry,andforeating.
Theyhadseveralpalmfrondmattsthattheywouldusetositoninthestructure.
Thefunctionanduseofthisareacanbelikenedtoacrossbetweena
dressingroominaperformancevenue,whereperformerssitinfrontofmirrors
withbrightlightspreparingtheirmakeupbeforetheygoonstageorfilm,anda
muchmorepublicspacelikeabaseballfielddugout,whereprofessionalbaseball
playerssitbeforetheygouptoplay.Theperformerscouldalwaysbeseen,as
thestructurehasonlytwosides,buttherewasaclearsensethatitwasa
protectedspace.Theboundaryofthetwo-wallstructureseemedknowntoallin
thecommunity,asnoonewouldgettoocloseorgoinside.OneTheyyam
performanceincludedafastcostumechangeinthegreenroomlikestructure
whilehundredsofonlookerswerewatching;yetnoonesteppedinsidethe
boundaryofthestructure.
Concretestepsactasstadiumseatingaroundaportionoftheoutdoorarea
ofthetemple.Therearethreetalldeepstepswhereperformersandvillage
peoplealikewouldsit,thesestepscurvedaroundtheoutdoorareainau-shape,
passingbythetwo-walledstructure.Iwouldoftensetupmyequipmenton
thosestepsandhadmanyconversationswithperformersandvillagersthere.
ThroughoutthefestivalIrecordedsoundsofthepreparations,
performances,music,environment,andfestivaloverall.Mygoalwastorecord
soundsthatwouldallowmetodevelopasoundscapeexploringthechallengesof
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castemarginalization,suchassoundsoftheperformerstouchingandinteracting
withelementsoftheircostumesandperformancesbeforetheirtransitionto
embodyingagod.
Idecidedtofocusasmuchaspossibleoncapturingsoundsfromthefestival
inisolationandoutofcontext.OneexampleofthisistheapproachItookto
capturingsoundsfortheairmovementofourexhibition,“EverydayLife.”Iwas
veryinterestedinthesoundsthattheperformersmadebywayoftheircostumes
andjewelry,andtriedtocapturethosesoundsisolatedfromtheperformance
soundsbyrecordingthemwhiletheperformerswereputtingontheircostumes
orpreparingbeforetheperformances,whichincludeddrumming,flutes,alotof
movement,andaudienceambiance.
ItraveledtoIndiawithallofthetechnologicaltoolsIusedinmy
fieldworkandexhibition,includinghigh-qualityaudiorecordingequipment,two
specializedmicrophones,andabackuprecorder.Foraudiorecording
equipmentIcarriedaSoundDevices788T8-channelAudiorecorderwith3
extrarechargeablebatteries,andaZoomH4NthataccommodatesstereoXLR
inputsasabackuprecordingsetup.IcarriedaCoreSoundTetramic,afour
capsuleambisonicmicrophone,withbatterypacksandcabling,andanAudio
TechnicaAT8022,whichisanX/Ystereofieldmicrophone.Icarried
windscreensandextracablinginsupportoftheprimaryandbackupsetups,as
wellasaboompole,andaPearsonhandheldgrip,whichIcoulduse
interchangeablywiththemicrophones.Icarriedtwopairsoffieldheadphones
withheadphoneextenders,aswellasamessengerbagthatalltheequipment,
excepttheboom,couldbecarriedinwheninthefield.Allofmyequipmentwas
battery-poweredfieldequipmentthatrequireddailybatterycharging,andall
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datawasrecordedtoacombinationofCompactFlash(CF)andStandard
Definition(SD)memorycards,aswellasinternalharddrives.
Ialsotraveledwithahigh-qualitystillimagecamera,andaniPhone4Sas
backupforimageandvideocapture.ThecamerawasaLeicaM9witha50mm
2.2lens,alongwithabatterychargerandavarietyofbackupSDcards.Icarried
acabletodownloadimagesoffoftheSDcards,alongwithacaseforthecamera
andatripodthatcouldeasilyfitinmysuitcase,andthatconvertedintoa
monopodifneeded.TheiPhone4Sisalwaysmybackupcamera,withgood
batterylife,andeaseofportability,itcanalsoeasilybechargedoffofmy
computer.
3.3.3 TheCreativeProcess:DesigningtheSoundscape
ThePanchabhuta,aHindusystemoffiveelementsthatisfoundinthe
Vedas,wastheinspirationbehindthecompositionalsoundscape.The
Panchabhuta,iscomprisedofPrithvi(Earth),Jal(Water),Agni(Fire),Vayu(Air),
andAkasha(Ether).IlearnedfromDhanarajandtheTheyyamperformersin
KeezharathattheseelementsareunderstoodtoplayalargeroleintheTheyyam
stories,aswellastheritualsofthevillage.Ichosetobreakthecompositioninto
fourdistinctmovementswitharecurringinterstitialmovementbetweeneachof
thefour.Thefourmovementsaremappedtotheelementsofwater,air,fire,and
earth,whiletheinterstitialismappedtotheelementofether.Thecomposition
isdesignedtorunforroughlyonehourandtenminutesandthenloop.Eachof
themovementsemploysavarietyoffieldrecordingsandcompositionalpractices
andtechniques.Intheexampleofthemovementrepresentingair,thelisteneris
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initiallyguidedintothemovement;theyhearaverysubtleandsporadic
“jingling,»orwhatwouldbefamiliartoTheyyamgoersasthesoundofbody
jewelry,specificallytheankletswornbytheperformers.Thissoundoccursin
isolationinthesoundscape,whichisrarelythecaseinTheyyam,asmost
performanceshaveastrongmusicaldrummingelement.However,these
recordingsoftheanklebraceletweretakenduringtheperformers’dressing
periodandarethereforedivorcedfromthefamiliarsoundsofdrummingthat
onebecomesaccustomedtohearingwhenevertheseankletsjingleduringa
dance.Themovementprogresseswiththejinglingsoundbecomingmore
constantbutwithvariablepitchandrhythm.Iwasabletoaccomplishthisby
takingavarietyofsamplesfromtherecordingsandplacingthemintimerelative
tooneanothertoestablishvaryingrhythm.Themovementprogresseswiththe
developmentofthesoundoftheperformer’sfoothittingthedirt,andwitha
focusonthatgestureandassociatedsound.
Thesoundscapeitselfisdesignedspecificallytoworkinafour-channel
sound-squareconfiguration.Amajorityofthefieldrecordingsweretakenwitha
Coretetramic,whichisanambisonicmicrophone.Recordingwithanambisonic
microphoneandcomposingwithsoftwarethatsupportssoundspacialization—
inthiscaseinafour-channelenvironmentanddynamicparameter
adjustments—allowedmetodevelopasoundscapethatrespondedspecifically
toDhanaraj’svisualartworkanditsorientationinthespace,aswellasthe
overallexhibitionhall.
Thisapproachaimstosurroundtheaudienceinasoundfield,andcreates
sonicclusterswithintheexhibitionspace.Thesoundscapewasdesignedsothat
audiencememberswouldperceiveelementsoftheexhibitionmovingaroundthe
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spacethroughthesoundsquare.Incertainmoments,itwouldseemthatthe
soundswerecomingfromonlyonequadrantorcorneroftheexhibition,whilein
othermoments,thesoundscapeseemedtoguideaudiencemembersthroughthe
space.Thisworkengagesautomationandsoniceffects,alongwithaudioediting
techniquesandmanipulation.ThepieceitselfwascomposedinProTools11,
andthespacializationoftheambisonicrecordingswascreatedinReaper,using
thecoretetramicvisualvirtualmicvst.Thesedigitalaudioworkstationtools
allowedmetouseahybridofambisonicandstereorecordings,andtothen
composeusingthoserecordings.
Myprocessfordevelopingthecompositionentailedsittinginmystudio
withthesoundsquareconfigurationsetup,andthewallsplasteredwith
printoutsofDhanaraj’spaintings,drawings,andphotographythatwouldbe
includedintheexhibition.Thoughatthetimewedidnotyetknowtheexact
orderandplacementofhiswork,Iwasabletousethevisualstimulusasa
startingpointfordevelopingthecompositionandspacialization.Allofthe
soundscapedevelopmentwascreatedinrealtimeinthesoundsquare
environment.
Duringtheexhibitionthelaptopandsoundcardwerebehindtheexhibition
wallsandallthatwasvisiblewithintheexhibitwerethespeakersandsome
cables.Thatbeingsaid,throughouttheexhibitionIbroughtpeoplebackbehind
thescenestoshowthemtheaudioconfigurationandthewaythatthesound
works.Inparticular,therewereanumberofcollege-agedstudentswhowere
veryinterestedinthebehind-the-sceneselementsofthesoundscape.
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Image3.24TheExhibitionatIMAHallinKannurImage3.25Visitorstotheexhibition
3.3.4 ListeningtotheComposition
Image3.26ComputerandsoundcardrunningProToolsforexhibition(left)Image3.27Visitorlisteningcloselytospeaker
Iwillbeginthedescriptionofthiscompositionalworkwithanexploration
ofthewayithasbeeninfluencedbyPierreSchaeffer’sconcretestyleof
composition(Shaefferetal.,2012).Boththeapproachtorecordingsoundsinthe
fieldandtheapproachtocomposingwiththosesoundsaretechnologically
mediated.Irelyondigitalrecordingequipment,analoguemicrophones,and
digitalformatconversionsoftwaretorecordandhearbackwhatIhave
recorded.Ithenemploysoftwaretechnologytoolstoinformandsculptthe
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compositionitself,nottomentionthesoundcardandspeakersthatIrelyonto
configurethesound-squareenvironmentinwhichImix,compose,and
ultimatelyexhibit.Atitscore,concretemusicpresentsitselfasa“newwayof
making”andisconcernedwitha“newtypeofobject”(Shaefferetal,2012).The
veryapproachtodevelopingcompositionfromrecordedmusicisinherently
abstract.
Forthisexhibition,mycreativeandcompositionalprocessaimstotakethe
listeneronajourneythroughPierreSchaeffer’sFourModesofListening,or
QuatreÉcoutes.Thesemodescreateaframeworkforunderstandingsounds’
characteristicsasconcrete/abstract,orsubjective/objective,andthenbreaks
soundintofourmodes;indicativelistening(écouter),selectivelistening
(dntendre),identitylistening(comprendre),andtobeabletolisten(ouïr).In
particularthecompositionattemptstomovethelistenerfromsubjective
concretelistening(ouïr)toobjectiveconcretelistening(écouter),andthento
abstractlistening.Forthesakeofthisdissertation,Iamspecificallyapplying
Schaeffer’smodesoflisteningtovisualperformance;inthiscaseIamdivorcing
soundsofthefestivalfromthefestivalperformancesbyrecordingthesounds
usedinthefestivaloutofcontextintentionallytohighlightthesoundsasthey
aretiedtotheperformersashumans,ratherthaninthecontextofthe
performanceswhenthoseperformersareembodiedbygods.Divorcingsonic
materialfromvisualperformanceisoneapproachthatDhanarajandIbelieved
couldhelpaudiencemembersconnectwiththehumannessandtouch-abilityof
thepeoplewhoaretheTheyyamartists.
Inmycomposition,Iwasinterestedinhighlightingsonicmomentsthat
wouldengagelistenersincausallistening.Forexample,Imighttakeasoundlike
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drumming,whichavillagerwouldbefamiliarwithhearingasapartofmany
Theyyamrituals,butratherthanincorporatingtherecordedsoundofadrum
fromaperformance,Iwouldincludeapiecefromawarm-uporpre-performance
momentwherethedrummerwasstrikingthedrumbutnottoafamiliarrhythm.
ThoughIcan’tbecertainthatIcaninterruptthepre-existingbrainpatternsa
villagerfromKeezharamighthaveinassociationwithdrummingandTheyyam,
asdrummingisahugepartofthefestival,Ihavestillattemptedtofocusthe
listeners’attentiononasingledrumbeatwiththehopesthattheywill
experienceashiftfromsubjectiveconcretelisteningtoobjectiveconcrete
listeningthatmayencouragelistenerstoconsiderhoworwhythatsinglehitof
thedrumoccurredand,moretothepoint,topiquetheircuriositywithregardto
whoishittingthedrum.
IattemptedtointentionallydivorcethesoundsoftheTheyyamfestival
fromtheperformances,rituals,dances,andstorytellingthatthepeopleof
Keezharaareintimatelyfamiliarwithandwouldquicklyrecognizeevenina
sonic-onlyenvironment.Theintentionwastotrytorefocustheaudience’s
attentiononthesoundstheywerehearing,forwhenwearefamiliarwiththe
soundsthatwehear,weoftendonotlistenasclosely,asourbrainsfillinthe
gapsofinformation,andourbrainendsupguidingandinsomecasesdeciding
whatwehear.
Thehopeorintendedimpactofthesonicapproachofthisexhibitionwasto
sonicallyguidelistenersawayfromhearingthesoundsofTheyyamintheways
theyaremostfamiliarwith,andinsteadtohearsoundsthatarefamiliar,as
thoughtheyarenew.Atthesametime,theaudiencewassurroundedby
Dhanaraj’svisualrepresentationsofthehumannessandthepeoplebehindthe
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costumesandfacepaintinTheyyam.Theaimwasforthiscombinationto
reorienttheaudiencetoanewstartingplacefromwheretheycouldconsider
andchallengetheiringrainedassumptionsofwhothehumanperformersare,
nottheembodiedgodsbutthepeoplewhoweretheirneighbors.
Throughvisitorfeedbackattheexhibition,Ifoundthatmyintentionof
invokingtheirobjectiveconcretelisteningofthesoundscapewasinfact
effective,andalso,itwaswhattheydislikedthemostinthesoundscape.
Listenersexpressedadesireforasoundscapethatallowedthemtomoreeasily
andclearlyidentifythesoundsthattheywerehearing,andtoassociatethe
soundswithperformancesofthefestival,asthiswasmorefamiliartothemand
representativeoftheirexperienceswithTheyyam.InparticularIwasaskedby
severalpeopletoincludemoreofthetraditionaldrummingsounds,asthose
werethenicest.
OneTheyyamperformerfromKeezharaapproachedmeattheexhibition
andexpressedhisfrustrationatthewayIchosetopresenttherecordingsofthe
festival.HepointedatoneofDhanaraj’spaintings,whereamusicianwas
strikingadrum,andtoldmethatIshouldhaveabuttonnexttothepaintingthat
avisitortotheexhibitioncouldpushtohearthesoundthedrummakes.Hewas
unhappywiththecurated,sculpted,andattimescacophonous,yetfamiliar,
soundscapethatheheardintheexhibitionhall,andfeltstronglythatthebest
useoftherecordingswouldbeaone-to-onecorrelation,onanexplanatorylevel,
sothatavisitorcouldhearasoundandseetheimageofthesourceofthatsound
atthesametime.HeexpressedquitestronglythatthewayIhadcreatedthe
soundwithintheexhibitdidnothelptoillustratewhichobjectsmakeswhich
sounds.
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TomethisinquiryfromtheTheyyamperformerwassurprising,because
heobviouslyknewthesoundthatthedrummade,asheperformsinthefestival
yearafteryear.Buthispointwasinterestingandmademethinkaboutwhata
visitorfromKeezharaexpectswhentheyentertheTheyyamfestivaloraspace
liketheexhibition,ortheFolkloreacademythathighlightsaspectsofTheyyam.
ThenitmademethinkaboutwhatIexpectwhenIenteranexhibition.WhatI
cametowasthattheperformerwasnotviewingtheexhibitionasartwork,even
thoughDhanarajisaverywell-knownandregardedartistfromKeezhara;rather,
hewasviewingitasanextensionofTheyyam,assomethingthatshould
accuratelyandonlyaccuratelyrepresentthefestival.
3.3.5 TheExhibitionOpeningCeremony
TheKeralaFolkloreAkademisponsoredtheexhibitionandsupportedour
work,notonlyfinancially,bypayingfortherentalcostsofthehall,butalsoby
usingtheirnetworkstoattractsupportfromthecommunity.Mr.B.Muhammed
Ahammed,thechairmanoftheKeralaFolkloreAkademi,satbesidemeand
DhanarajatthepressconferenceinKannur,whereourdiscussionaboutthe
exhibitionwastelevised,andwherejournalistsfromMalyalamandEnglish
newspapersalikeaskedusquestionsabouttheexhibitionforarticlestheywere
goingtowritepromotingtheexhibition.Mr.Ahammed,alongwiththe
Akademi’ssecretary,Mr.M.PradeepKumar,werebothpresentattheopening
ceremonyfortheexhibitionwhichwasheavilytelevised,andwhichinvolveda
ceremonybyTheyyamartistsfromKeezhara.The“galleryopening”wasinthis
instancemoreofacontextsetting,mediaintensive,two-hourintroductiontothe
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exhibitionfortheVIPguestsandmediawhowerepresent,theFolkloreAkademi
representatives,Dhanarajandmyself,aswellasfriends,family,andonlookers.
TwoTheyyamartistsfromKeezharabuiltasquarestructurefromcoconut
palmsthatsymbolizedthebeginningofTheyyam;theytraditionallybuildthis
samestructureduringthestartoftheTheyyamfestival,showninImage3.28.
Thesquarestructurewasroughlytwofeethighandmadefromweavingtogether
cutpiecesofthecoconutpalms,whichresultedinasquarethathadmany
smallersquareswithinit.
Image3.28ThecoconutpalmstructurebuiltbyTheyyam performersfortheopeningceremonyoftheexhibition
Theythenbuiltandattachedtothecorner,orintersectingpoints,ofeachsmall
square,longstiffpiecesofpalmfrond,wrappedinclothandsoakedincoconut
oil.Thisstructuresatinthecenteroftheexhibitionhallforoneday,untilthe
openingceremony.
Mr.Ahammedstartedtheceremonybywelcomingalltheguestsand
introducingtheexhibition,themissionoftheFolkloreAkademi,andtheartists.
Mr.PradeepKumarthengavealongerintroduction,whichincludedashort
speechfrombothDhanarajandmyselfaboutthemotivationfortheexhibition.I
spokeinEnglishandDhanarajinMalyalam,whilevariousnewschannels
coveredtheopening.Mr.KumarthencalledguestsandVIPsoneatatimeto
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lightoneofthe20cloth-wrappedfrondsonfire,untilallwerelitandthe
exhibitionhallwasfilledwithsmoke(Image3.29).
Image3.29TheTheyyamceremonyattheexhibitionopeningatIMAHallinKannur
Duringthecourseoftheexhibition,Mr.M.PradeepKumaraskedmeifI
wouldbewillingtoprovidetheAkademiwithsomeoftherecordingsIhadtaken
attheKeezharaTheyyam,insupportofthedevelopmentofasoundscapefor
theirAkademifacilityandmuseum.ThiswasawonderfulhonorandItoldhimI
wouldbehappytogivethoserecordingstohimfortheAkademi’suse.Ihave
sincethenbeenworkingwiththeAkademionsharingtherecordingswiththem
andamhostingonmypersonalwebsitealibraryofthecomposedsoundscape
forusebytheKeralaFolkloreAkademiaswellasanyotherinterestedparties.
3.3.6 ResponsestotheExhibit
Wewerefortunatetohaveawidevarietyofconversationswithvisitorsto
theexhibitionaswellaswithmembersofthecommunity.Thiswassupportedin
largepartbythecultureofgalleryexhibitionsinSouthIndiawhereartistsare
presentthroughouttheentiretyofanexhibition,whichisoftenaweekorlessin
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length.Thoughexhaustingafterseverallongdays,beingpresentmeantthatwe
wereabletospeaktoallvisitorsofthespace,andheartheirthoughtsand
feedback.Duringthistime,Icollectedinterviews,hadinformaldiscussions,and
wrotedownanecdotalvignettesofpeople’scomments,experiences,and
contributionstothespace.
Thefollowinghighlightsseveralvignettesofvisitorfeedbacktotheexhibit.
Oneoldergentlemanandhiswifeapproachedmeafterwalkingaroundthe
exhibittosharewithmeaDVDtheyhadbroughtoftheirseven-year-old
grandson,whohadperformedhisfirstTheyyamthatseason.Theyexpressed
immensejoyandprideintheirdescriptionofhisperformanceandtheir
excitementformetoseetheirgrandson’sperformanceandpossiblyincorporate
itintoafutureexhibition.Twocollege-ageboyswalkedintothegalleryoneday,
anatypicaldemographicofvisitortothegallery,withaninterestinthesound
design,themultiplespeakerconfigurationsandthetechnologybehindthe
exhibit.Theystruckupaconversationwithme,sayingtheywerestudying
sounddesignandwereveryinterestedinthetechnologiesIwasusing,andthe
approachtotheexhibition.Wespentanhourbehindthewallsoftheexhibit
withthecomputerandsoundcarddiscussingProTools,soundspatialization,
ambisonicrecordings,andthetransformationofdifferentparametersofthe
audiothatinfluencedthesoundscapedesign.
SeveralTheyyamartistsfromKeezhara,whomIhadmetduringthefestival,
approachedmeduringtheexhibittoexpressfrustrationaboutthesounds.
TherewasalsothegentlemanIpreviouslymentioned,whowalkedmeovertoa
speakerinthefarcorneroftheroom,andassoundscameoutofithepointedto
apaintingjustnexttothespeakerandsaid,“Theyarenotthesame.”Myinitial
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reactiontohissuggestiontohaveabuttonnexttothephotographsthat,when
pushed,playedsoundsthatdirectlycorrespondedtotheimage,wasslightly
defensive,asIfelthedidn’tunderstandtheintentionbehindmywork,but
quicklyImovedfrommymindsetastheartistbacktothatofethnographerand
realizedthathissuggestionshelpedtoilluminatehowthecommunityof
Keezharaunderstoodthesoundscape,aswellashispersonalexpectationsof
whatarepresentationofTheyyamshouldbe,andwhatitshouldaccomplish.
InjuxtapositiontothesoundscapeIcreatedfortheEverydayLifeexhibit,a
futureworkcouldincorporateasectionorroomthatattemptstodoexactly
whatthisgentlemansuggests,whichisprovideaonetoonecorrelationbetween
soundandimage,allowingpeopletodecideandcontrolwhentheyhearwhat.It
wouldbeinterestingtobuildasoundboxthatallowedvisitorstopushbuttons
andplaybacksoundsatwill,andwhichcapturedthedataofhowmanytimes
eachbuttonwaspushedandinwhatorder.Suchanadditiontotheexhibitcould
provideimportantinsightintohowpeoplechoosetoengagewiththesoundsof
thefestival,whichtheyaremostdrawnto,whichtheychoosetolistentoin
repetition,andwhicharelesspopular.Theoutcomeofthisadditionwouldcome
fromprovidingthevisitorswithcontrastingexperiences,whichcouldleadto
deeperengagementwithboththesoundscapeandthepushbuttonbox,asthey
servetorepresentdifferentaccesspointsforthevisitors.Ontheonehand
visitorswouldexperiencetheimmediategratificationthatcomesfrom
connectingvisualandsonicmaterialthroughthepushofabutton,andonthe
otherhandtheywouldhavetheexperienceofbeingimmersedinasoundscape
inwhichtheyhadnocontroloverthecontent,whichwouldreintroducethe
elementofsurpriseandpossiblyre-engagethevisitorintryingtoconnectthe
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sonicelementsofthesoundscapewiththevisualimagesintheexhibit.
Ultimately,thegoalwouldbetoengagethevisitorsmoredeeplyinthe
soundscapesothattheymightdrawtheirownconclusionsfromwhattheyhear,
anditispossiblethatprovidinganopportunityforinstantlygratifying
interactionmayopenpeopleuptothemorechallengingactoflisteningtothe
pre-constructedsoundcompositionandplacingthesoundsthemselves.
3.4 SectionFour:ChallengesandLimitations
3.4.1 MyRoleasanObserverandCreativeResponder
Myroleasethnographerofthefestivalandartistofanexhibitiondeveloped
asacreativeresponsetothatfestival,makesmeaparticipantobserver.While
observingthefestival,Iattemptedtomaintainanoutsider’sperspective;inmy
creativework,however,IattemptedtoconnectwiththesamecommunitythatI
triedtodistancemyselffromasaresearcher.Thisdualpositioningposesafew
challengestoconductingtheresearch,includingnegotiatingmyrelationship
withDhanaraj,thewayIamperceivedbythecommunity,andtheimpactthese
thingshaveontheeffectivenessofmyresearchandcreativework.
MyworkwithDhanarajaimedtoblendourvisualandsonicaesthetics
acrossathematicstructure,whileourpositionswithinthecommunityduring
Theyyamwerecompletelydifferent.DhanarajisanativeofKeezhara,whileIam
acompleteoutsider.Heisseenasanartistbyhisowncommunity,andtherefore
somewhatalternativewhileIamseenasawesternwomanwhoishisartist-
friend.Thedynamicsofgender,nationality,skincolor,andsocioeconomicclass
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allcontributetothewaysinwhichweareseenbythepeopleofKeezhara,and
thelensthroughwhichourartisticworkisconsidered.
WhileIamobviouslyanoutsidertothecommunityofKeezhara,my
artworkattemptstoconnectwiththepeopleofthecommunity,asdoI.My
physicalappearance,styleofdress,andlimitedlinguisticskillsinMalyalamare
easilyidentifiable.BeingknownthroughmyconnectiontoDhanaraj,ashisartist
andteacherfriend,meantthatmypresencedidnotseemtobeviewedas
threatening,norwasmyartisticcreationconsideredinherentlyproblematicas
theworkofaforeigner.Onthecontrary,theexhibitionwasreceivedwellbythe
community.Notalllikedtheexhibition,andnotallofthecontentwaswell
received,orunderstood,buttheworkonasawholewassupported.
Myworkwasverymuchreceivedassomethingpeopledidnotexpectto
connectwith.HavinglivedinIndiabefore,Ihadfirst-handexperiencewithsome
commonstereotypesaboutAmericans.Myexperiencewasthatmanyoftheir
perceptionsofUSculturecamefromtelevisionshowslikeFriendsorHollywood
movies.I’mnotsureif,whenpeoplewalkedintotheexhibition,theytookthe
soundscapeseriously.I’mnotsureiftheysawitasinformedandpositionedas
art.Iamnotsureifthecommunityunderstoodtheprintedmissionstatementof
theexhibitionbecausevisualrepresentationsofTheyyamarecommoninKerala
andoftensimplybeautifulrepresentationsoftheFolkloricCulture,butnot
associatedwithanytypeofactivistmission.
Dhanaraj’sartisticworkchallengespeople’sperceptionsandassumptions
inKeezhara,asheisaveryexperimentalartistbythevillage’sstandards.
Dhanarajhaspaintedpublicspacesinthevillage,andbeeninvitedtocontribute
totheartsprogramatthelocalschool.HisloveforKeezhara,aswellasthefact
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thathismotherstillresidesthere,promptshisfamily’sfrequentvisitstothe
village.Hispersonalinteractionswithmembersofthecommunityhavean
impactonpeople’sperceptionsofhisartwork.
Myabilitytochallengepeople’sperceptionsofmewasabitmoredifficult.
MaintaininganongoingrelationshiptoKeezharaandsocializingwithDhanaraj’s
communityoffriendsandfamilyservedasatouchpoint,connectingmetothe
community.Havingworkedasateacherinothercitiesandruralcommunitiesin
Indiaincluding,Bangalore,Delhi,andinruralRajasthan,Ihadgainedacertain
leveloffamiliaritywithsomeofthetraditionsandaspectsoflivelihoodinthe
village,whichmadeiteasierforthevillagerstogettoknowme.Forexample,
peopleoftencommentedonmyeatinghabitsandthefactthatIatetheirfood,or
atewithmyhands.SimilarlythesupportofFolkloreAkademi,alocally
respectedandunderstoodorganizationthatsponsoredourexhibition,brought
contextandvaliditytotheartisticworkandtomypresenceinthecommunity,as
wellasanexpectationofthewaytheexhibitwouldappropriatelyrepresentthe
Theyyamcommunity.
TheMalyalamnewspapersandlocaltelevisioncoveragechangedpeople’s
perceptionofmyworkinthecommunity,makingpeoplemoreinterestedinthe
work,andmoreacceptingofmeasaforeignerintheircommunity,andasan
artistmakingartabouttheircommunity.Theconnectionandsupportreceived
fromDhanaraj,TheFolkoreAkademi,andtheMinistryofCultureandHeritage,
allowedtheprojecttobewovenintothecommunity’ssocialfabric,
understanding,andconsciousness—makingtheprojectmoreaccessibletothe
membersofthecommunity.Thesupportandcoveragefromlocalnewsoutfits
andrespectedorganizationsofcultureandheritage,gaveDhanarajandmea
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typeofauthorityinrepresentingTheyyaminKeezhara.Italsogaveourprojecta
stampofapprovalfromtheoutside,allowingittobeseenbyTheyyam
performersandnearbycommunitiesasaprojectthatwaswithintheboundsof
localtraditionandacceptance,whilebearingthenameofaforeigner.Even
thoughIamconcernedaboutthewaymypositionalityasaforeignertothe
communityofKeezharaposesalimitationonmyabilitytohaveanimpact
throughtheexhibition,mypresenceandongoingcommitmenttothecommunity
openedpeopleuptotheexhibition.
Thenotionofsoundscapewasalsocompletelynewtothemembersofthe
communitywithwhomIspoke.Thenewspaperandtelevisionjournalists
consistentlyrepresentedtheexhibitionasintroducinganewconceptintothe
Kannurartscene,thefusionofvisualimagesandsound.Theresponsetothe
mediacoveragewaspositive;however,thenoveltyoftheapproachmeantthat
mostofthevisitorstotheexhibitiondidnothaveareferencepointforanart
exhibitthatincludedsound,whenthesounddidnotaccompanyamovie.
Thechallengeofmypositionasbothobserverofthecommunityandasan
artistwhoengagedwiththecommunity,hasmadeadifferencetotheoverall
goaloftheexhibitinthatitallowedpeopletoengagewiththeexhibitdifferently
becausetherewasafamiliaritywiththeartists.Thecommunitymembersof
KeezharacametotheexhibittosupportDhanaraj,andbecausetheywere
intriguedbyourartisticcollaboration,whichwasvisuallypresentintheir
communityduringthefestival,andbecausetherewerevisualandsonic
representationsoftheTheyyamartistsandcommunitymembersofKeezharain
theexhibition.Thegoaloftheexhibitwastoagitatepeople’sthinkingabout
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castemarginalizationinrelationtoTheyyam,andtogetpeoplefromKeezharato
attendtheexhibitionandexplorealongsidetheircommunitymembers.
MyroleasanobserverandoutsidertoTheyyamallowedmetoseeand
hearthingsthatmembersofthecommunitycouldnot.Everythingaboutthe
festivalwasnewandunknowntome,asthoughIwasachildfirstexperiencing
thingsinlife.Nothavinganybasisforcomparisonmademelesslikelytobe
desensitizedtodetailsthatcommunitymembersmightdisregardasessentialto
theexperience.InessenceIbroughtadifferenttypeofawarenesstomy
observationandexperienceinKeezhara.
Myvisualandsonicassumptionsofthefestivalwerecompletelydifferent
fromthatofsomeonewhohadexperiencedthefestivalthroughouttheirlife.For
example,whentheTheyyamperformanceishappening,theaudience’sattention
isdrawntotheperformer;however,myattentionwasoftenfocusedtowardthe
audience’sexperienceoftheperformer.Forme,thecommunitymembers’
responsestotheperformancewereasinterestingastheperformanceitself.This
maybedueinparttothefactthatIdonothaveareligiousassociationwiththe
festivalinthewaythemembersofthecommunitydo.Whereasacommunity
membermightbedrawnintotheprocessofthegodlyembodimentunfolding
throughtheperformance,Idonothavetheculturalframeofreferencetotruly
understandthereligiousandspiritualaspectsofthefestival,andasaresultmy
focusisnotorientedinthesameway.
ThelastTheyyamperformanceofthefestivalisahugespectaclethat
attractshundredsofonlookersfromneighboringvillages.Thelocaltelevision
networkcoveredtheevening’sperformance,andtheopengroundadjacentto
thetemplebecameheavilypopulatedlikeafairground.Onthisdaybetweenthe
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ThottamandVellatamperformances,toyvendorsrolledtheircartsontothe
grounds,andpeanutroastingstationswereerected.Ispentagoodportionof
thatearlyafternoonspeakingtothepeanutvendor,recordingthesoundsofhis
metalspatulahittingagainstandsweepingtheroundedmetaldishasheroasted
thepeanuts,whichbecamethisclackingsoundofmetalonmetalmutedbythe
peanuts.IbecamefascinatedbythecontributionofthesesoundstotheTheyyam
soundscape,adetailthatmostonlookerswouldnotconsider.
Themusicalelementsofthefestivalareanotherexampleofasonicdetail
thatIbecameveryinterestedin,butwhichmaynotinterestsomeonefamiliar
withthefestival.Myeyesweregluedtothemusiciansinthebackgroundduring
theTheyyamperformances.Theywereassembledinahalfmoonsurrounding
theTheyyamperformer,andtheaudiencewasassembledinacirclesurrounding
themusiciansandtheTheyyamcharacter.Mygazewouldoftenbouncefrom
performertotempleminder,thentowardtheaudienceandonwardtowardthe
musicians.Ifoundmyselfinterestedineveryaspectoftheevent.Iwas
fascinatedbythetempleminder’srolewithintheperformances,whattheywere
taskedwithdoing,andhowtheywereassociatedwiththeperformancefamilies.
DuringsomeperformancesamemberoftheTheyyamartistfamilywouldwalk
fromthesidelinesintothemiddleoftheperformancetohelptheTheyyam
performer,tightentheirheaddress,orfixapieceoftheircostume.
Mypositionasanoutsiderandobservermeant,aswell,thattherewere
thingsIdidnothearinpartbecauseIdonotspeakMalyalam.Iamawarethatas
anoutsiderIwasmappingmyownexperienceontothecommunityofKeezhara,
especiallywithregardtotheexhibition.Imappedontothemmyexperiences
andexpectationsabouthowtoengageaudiences,whatIthoughtwouldbe
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problematicorinterestingtothem,andwhatIthoughttheymightlikeordislike.
TheseperceptionswerepartiallyrootedinmyexperiencesinKeezharaand
Indiamorebroadly,butalsotiedtomyopinionsandpreconceivedapproachto
exhibitingwork.
Withintheexhibit,DhanarajandIaddressedcastemarginalization,a
topicthatisoftenconsideredtaboointheIndiancontext.Comingfromthe
outside,Iassumeditwaslikelythatwewouldmounttheexhibitionbutpossibly
missouraudience,becausewewereintroducingideasthatmightnotbe
appropriateforthecommunity,andwhichthecommunitydidnothaveagood
wayofaccessinggiventhesocialstigmatiedtothesubjectmatter.
ThesameweekthattheexhibitionwasmountedinKannur,therewasa
MuttapanTheyyambeingheldnearbyaspartofablessingforthesiteofanew
templethatacommunitywantedtobuild.Krishnan,oneofDhanaraj’sfriends
whomIhadmetduringtheexhibition,tookmetotheTheyyam.Theleaderof
thecommunityrecognizedme,ashewasaphotographerforanewspaperthat
coveredtheexhibition,whichhehadvisitedseveraltimesthatweek.Asaresult
Iwaswelcomedandgreetedverypositivelybythecommunity.Thisexperience
helpedmebetterunderstandhowsomeoneisunderstoodasaninsideroran
outsiderwithinacommunity.ThoughIwasacompleteoutsidertothis
community,Iwastreatedasanoutsiderwhocamewithreferences,which
uniquelypositionedmetoexplorethingswithinthatcommunity.
InmyroleascreativeresponderandartistIwasabletogainaccesstothe
TheyyamartistsinadifferentwaythanIcouldduringthefestivalwhenthey
werecompletelyconsumedwithpreparationsandperformances.Theexhibition
hall,unlikethefestival,providedaspacewhereTheyyamartistsandcommunity
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membersjointlyparticipatedincastingtheirgazeelsewhere.Theconversations
Iwasabletohavewithvisitorstotheexhibitionwereverydifferentfromthose
thathappenedduringthefestival.Thismaybetiedtomyhavingmetmanyof
thecommunitymembersforthefirsttimeduringthefestival,andpossiblythat
theexhibitionprovidedanopportunityforpeopletoengagemeinsomethingI
hadcreatedormade.Duringthefestival,theentrypointforconversationwas
oftenmyengagingmembersofthecommunityaboutthefestival.Sometimes
peoplewouldengagemeaboutmyequipment,orwhyIwasinKeezhara,but
infrequentlyaboutmuchelse.Attheexhibition,however,peopleconsistently
approachedmetotalkaboutarticlesinthepaper,theexhibition,AbuDhabi,and
onewomanwhowasanartteacherinKeezharaapproachedmetodiscussart.
Thevisitorstotheexhibitionfeltafreedomtocriticize,whichIreally
appreciated.PeopleaskedaboutwhyIchosetoexpresstherecordedsoundsin
aparticularwayandsomevisitorstotheexhibitwantedtosharetheirthoughts
andfeelingsaboutmyartisticchoices.Thisconsistentengagementwasvery
differentfrommymoremeasuredinteractionswiththecommunityduringthe
festival.Theexhibitionfeltlikeacreatedspacethatleveledtheplayingfield.
DuringthefestivalIwasinKeezharaasaresearcher,observingthefestival,
Theyyamartistsandcommunitymembers,whileattheexhibitionthetables
wereturnedandIwasnowputtingmyworkandselfondisplay,providingan
opportunityforthemembersofKeezharatoobserveandcritiquemeandmy
work.
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3.4.2 Limitations
MyabilitytospendtimeinKeezhara,aswellassponsorshipfromthe
KeralaFolkloreAkademi,wasdirectlyrelatedtohavingthetrustofthepeople
whotrustedDhanaraj.Ascollaborators,wewereonthesamepageaboutthe
motivationfortheexhibition,abouttheresearchandtimespentinKeezhara,and
abouttheprocessofdevelopingthework.Ateachstepofthewaywecheckedin
withoneanother,andwhenappropriate,delegatedaspectsoftheprocessto
eachother.Forexample,Dhanarajhandledtherentaloftheexhibitionhalland
thecommunicationswiththeFolkloreAkademipriortomyarrivalinKeralafor
theexhibition;whileIhandledwritingtheEnglishflyersandcommunicationsfor
theexhibition,hehandledwritingtheMalyalamcounterparts.However,we
botharrivedinKannurandhitthegroundrunningtotakecareofalllastminute
mattersinpreparationfortheexhibition,includinghavinginvitationsand
brochuresprintedforVIPinvitesandguests.Wealsobothworkedtirelessly
settinguptheexhibitionhallandtakingdowntheexhibition.
Thechallengeofthespacewasamajorlimitationoftheexhibition,
specificallyinourabilitytoclearlycommunicateideastotheaudience.Overall
theworkwasexhibitedwell,andartisticallywefeltthatweweresuccessfulin
communicatingwhatweintendedto;howeverthespacedidprovetobea
limitation.Thesoundscapewasmixedandspacializedinastudioenvironment,
thentransportedtoIndiawhereitneededtobesetupandconfiguredinthe
exhibitionhallinoneday.Thefirstsetofchallengeswerelogisticaland
pertainingtopowerandmountingofthespeakersinthespace;thistookseveral
hoursandrequiredafewtripstohardwarestorestoobtainthecorrectscrews,
tools,twine,etc.Ultimatelythespeakersweremountedsafelyandinanideal
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configurationforthecompositionandthespace.Thefirstrun-throughofthe
compositionrevealedthattheoveralllevelsofthepiecewerecompletelyofffor
thetypeofhallanditsopennesstoacitystreet,whichallowedfornoisebleed
fromnearbyestablishments,motorvehiclesandpeoplewalkingpast.Atthe
sametimeasIwasworkingoutthesechallenges,Dhanarajwasworkinghard
withafewfriendstohangtheentireshowofmorethanonehundredpieces,
whichofcoursecontributedtoadditionalnoiseinthespace,andchangedthe
acousticsofthespace,ashiscanvasesaddedimmenseisolationtotheotherwise
concreteandtiledroom.Theselimitationsaffectedthequalityoftheexhibited
work,theclarityofthesoundscape,andattimes,especiallywithinthefirstday
oftheexhibition,itmeantthatthelevelsoftheexhibitionwerebeingmixedon
theflytoaccommodatehowsonicallythespaceaccommodatedvaryingnumbers
ofvisitors,aswellastheoutsidesoundsofthecommunitysurroundingthehall.
3.5 SectionFive:Conclusion
3.5.1 Time,Place,andInfiniteConvergences
Whilethepurposeoftheexhibitionwastoattempttomitigatecaste
discrimination,thepurposeofthisdissertationistofocusonwaysinwhich
creativeresponsemightworkdifferentlythanmoretraditionalarchiving.The
questionofwhetherornotartisticportrayalsofTheyyamartistshelpedto
mitigatecastemarginalizationcannotbeansweredcompletelywitheitherayes
orno.Feedbackontheexhibitshowedthatthevisitorswereengagedwiththe
work—insomecasesthemediumoftheexhibitionwassurprisingorunsettling,
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particularlyourinclinationtodisconnectthesonicandvisualmaterialastonot
createaone-to-onerelationship,andinothercasesaudiencememberswere
happytoseerepresentationsthatcreativelyaugmentedrealisticportrayalsof
Theyyam,asitrepresentedsomethingnew.OurpresenceinKeezharaduring
thefestival,andtheexhibitionitselfclearlystirredthingsup,butitisimpossible
tounderstandhowfar-reachingsucheffectswere.
Activismisaboutmakingchangeintheworld,andthatchangerelieson
beingopenwithinoneself,andopeningourselvesuptoothersaroundus.In
ordertoexpectotherstoopenthemselvesuptonewthings,wemustfirstbe
willingtobechangedbytheworkintheworld.MatthewGoulishexpressesthis
samesentimentbycommunicatingtheideathatwedonotneedtofindaway
intoawork,sincetheworkisalreadyinsideus.(Goulish,2000).Hetellsusthat
aworkworkswherewhenitbecomeshuman,andthatthisbecomingoccurs
whenwerealizeit:
Aworkisanobjectoverflowingitsframe.Workisaneventinwhichthe
humanparticipates;thehumanisanorganismthatworks.Aworkworks
whenitbecomesaneventofwork.Aworkworkswhenitbecomeshuman.
Thisbecomingoccurswhenwerealizeit.Specifically,itoccurswhenwe
realizeitwhereitoccurs.Itoccursinside.Wedonotneedtofindaway
intoawork,sincetheworkisalreadyinside.Insteadwerealizeaworkand
itsharmonywithourpointofview.Thenitandwebegintowork,andthe
playofworkbegins.(p.100).
ByapplyingGhoulish’stakeonthenotionofwork,ourcreativeresponseto
theTheyyamFestival“works”inwaysthatexceedtheboundariesofthe
exhibition.Asaparticipant-observer,I’mnotonlywatchingtoseeifDhanaraj's
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arthelpsmitigatecastemarginalization,I’mcollaboratingwithhimasanartist
todotheworkI’mwonderingabout.Partofthatcollaborationisbeingan
outsidertothecommunityofKeezharaandlearningtoexperienceKeezhara
whereitis,aswellasthecommunitylearningtoexperiencemeatthepoint
whereIentertheirvillage.
Ghoulishstates,that“aworkisanobjectoverflowingitsframe.”(Goulish,
2000,p.100).MuchoftheimpactoftheworkDhanarajandIcreatedoccurs
outsidethewallsoftheexhibitionhall,inmanyotherfacetsoflifefromthesocial
andpoliticalrealmstothepersonalsit-downsandmeet-and-greets.Thethings
that“overflowtheframe”takemanyforms,includingridingthetraintoKannur
withDhanarajandhisfamilyandsleepinginhismother’shouse.Itisaboutthe
numerousnewspaperarticlesthatwerewrittenbyjournalistsabouttheartistic
collaboration.Theoverflowingoftheframeincludesholdingtheexhibitioninthe
IndianMedicalAssociationHallwiththeFolkloreAkademi’sbackingand
branding,ratherthanafancyair-conditioned,airtightgalleryspace.Thework
collaborationwithDhanarajisimportantnotonlyforthevalueoftheartitself,
butforallofthepoliticalandsocialforcesatplaythatextendoutsidethevisual
andsonicboundariesofthatwork,suchasthebringingtogetheroftheTheyyam
artistsandthelaycommunitymemberstoviewanartisticrepresentationof
Theyyam.
Initiallythisresearchandtheresultingexhibitionwererootedin
Dhanaraj’spoliticalinterestsandconcernsaboutthestateofcasteissuesinhis
nativevillage.Thecollaboration,resultingresearch,andartisticworkwerebuilt
onthiskeyquestion.Myartisticworkofsoundscapedesignandsonic
compositionisrootedinthissamequestionandverymuchinsupportof
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Dhanaraj’skeypoliticalinterests,howevermyartisticapproachseemstohave
problematizedTheyyamforthepeopleofKeezharainawaythatDhanaraj’s
workdoesnot.Myworkdisruptedorchallengedthecommunitymembers’
expectationsofhowTheyyamisrepresentedintwokeyways.Thefirstistiedto
mystatusasaforeignercomingintothecommunityofKeezhara,wheremy
presence,whichistiedtomyidentityasaWesternwomaninpost-colonialIndia,
servesasadisruptiontothecommunity,somethingthatisnoticedandwhich
drawspeople’sattentionandintrigue,asitdeviatesfromtheirexpectation.
ThesecondwayinwhichmyartisticapproachproblematizesTheyyamis
rootedinthesonicnatureofmywork.AsIhavementionedpreviously,though
thefestivalreliesonmanysonicelements—frommusictochanttooral
tradition—therepresentationsofthefestival,whetherinmuseums,on
television,orinnewspapers,areofstaticimagesorvideo.Myapproachof
separatinganddisconnectingthevisualandsonicelementsofthefestival,then
furthertransformingthesonicelementsintoasoundscapeofcomposed
material,disruptedtheexpectationpeoplehadofasonicrepresentationof
Theyyam.
JonathanSterneasserts,“itistheear,nottheeye,thatoffersapathinto
relationsofpower”(Sterne,2012).WhenweapplySterne’ssentimenttothe
soundscapeofEverydayLife,thefindingsofthisethnographybecomeclearer.
Theyyamasafestivaliscolorful,loud,andverymuchaspectaclewithineach
villageitisperformed.PhotographsofTheyyamarecommon,familiar,and
easilyfoundthroughouttheMalabarregion,aswellasmoregloballythrougha
Googleimagesearch,andonFacebook,wherethereareseveralgroupsdedicated
toTheyyam.TourcompaniesusephotographsofTheyyamcharactersontheir
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promotionalbrochuresandwebsites,andeventheKeralaFolkloreAkademihas
publishedabookbySreekanthA.Trikaripur,entitledMooringMirror.AMooring
MirrorBetweenManandGod,thatcontainshundredsofcolorphotographsof
Theyyamcharacters.ThecommunityofKeezharahasbeenfloodedwithvisual
representationsofTheyyam;Dhanaraj’svisualwork,thoughoftenfocusedon
thepeopleratherthanthecharactersofTheyyam,iseasilycontextualizedand
understoodasadirectvisualrepresentationofthefestival.
Sterne’scommentaryisakintoJacquesAttali’sessay,Bruits:essaisur
l’économiepolitiquedelamusique,publishedinFrenchin1977,andtranslated
intoEnglishin1985byBrianMassumias“Noise:ThePoliticalEconomyof
Music”.InhisessayAttaliarguesthat“morethancolorsandforms,itissounds
andtheirarrangementsthatfashionsocieties.”(Attali,1985,p.6).Perhapsthe
soundscapecompositionpresentedintheEverydayLifeexhibitoverflowsthe
frameoftheworkitselfinpartbecauseitpresentsthecommunityofKeezhara
withanauralcommentary,whichisunfamiliarandoutofcontextinits
applicationtoTheyyam.
AnearlierreferenceinthischapterspokeofaTheyyamperformerwho
expressedagitationandfrustrationthatthesoundshewashearinginthe
exhibitionwerenotcompletelyaccurate,andthattheartworkshouldservemore
ofastructuralistapproachforidentificationandplaybackofspecificsoundsas
theypairwithimagesofthesoundsource.Theperformer’sinclinationtoward
wantingasonicrepresentationthatservestobedescriptiveofanimagemakes
sense.Thesoundscapeimmersedlistenersinasonicrepresentationofthe
festivalthatdidnotmatchthereal,whichcauseddiscomfortandledto
consideringthequestion,Whatisitthatwearelisteningto?Thisdisruptionof
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thesonicorderofTheyyambywayofacompositionthatinterruptsanddisrupts
thatwhichiscommonlyunderstood,hasthepotentialtodisruptorchangethe
cultureofthevillage.Attaliproposesthatatpresentthereisanewmusical
practiceemergingthatheraldsthearrivalofnewsocialrelations,andwhich
destroysordersandcreatesnewones.IbelievetheEverydayLifeexhibition
contributedtothiskindofradicalrestructuring.
Todayinembryonicform,beyondrepetition,liesfreedom:morethananew
music,afourthkindofmusicalpractice.Itheraldsthearrivalofnewsocial
relations.Musicisbecomingcomposition.Representationagainstfear,
repetitionagainstharmony,compositionagainstnormality.Itisthis
interplayofconceptsthatmusicinvitesustoenter,initscapacityasthe
heraldoforganizationsandtheiroverallpoliticalstrategies—noisethat
destroysorderstostructureaneworder.Ahighlyilluminatingfoundation
forsocialanalysisandaresurgenceofinquiryaboutman.(Attali,1985,p.
20).
Oncealisteneractivelylistens,theywillconsiderandpossiblyquestion
thatwhichtheyarehearing,justassomeonewholookswillconsiderwhatthey
areseeing.Thismightcauseagitation,andariftagainstthatwhichis
understoodtobenormal.Lookedatthisway,theexhibitionwassuccessfulin
thatDhanarajandIwereinthecommunityandweagitatedthepeople.Wewere
inthepaperandonthenews.Theworkweaimedtodowasneverartforart’s
sake,butratherartistsattemptingtocreateanimpactwiththeirartina
community.
Thehumanelementmadeourartisticworkwhatitwas.Partofthiswork
extendedintotheaudience,causingtheaudiencetoconsiderwhattheywere
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seeingandhearing,andinsomecasestoaskquestionsofthework.Thisresearch
projectunveiledinquiry,agitation,andconsiderationinus,aswellasthe
audience.SimilartoJ.J.Pallath’scritiqueofthepowerreversalbetweenthe
PulayasandtheuppercasteduringtheTheyyamfestival,theexhibitionprovided
thecommunitymembersanopportunitytoassumearolemoresimilarto
observer,wheretheycouldcritiquemeastheoutsiderandcommentonmy
workwithjustcause.Thisputthecommunitymembersinapositionofpower,
whichprovidedatypeofexchange,ortousePallath’swords,arolereversal,in
thedynamicsbetweentheresearcher/observer,andthecommunity,allowing
themtocritiquetheirowncommunityandtheTheyyamfestivalwhilemasked
behindthecritiqueofanoutsiderandanartist.
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4. LestWeForget
158
4. LestWeForget
4.1 SectionOne:AnIntroduction
4.1.1 Introduction
TheLestWeForgetprojectbeganasacollectionofvernacularphotographs
fromEmiratifamilyphotoalbums.Thecollectionisuniqueinitsfusingof
artisticpracticealongsidetraditionalarchivaltechniques.Thephotographs,
objects,andoralhistoriescontributedbycommunitymembersarethebasisfor
thedevelopmentofcreativemixed-mediaresponsesthatbecomethecontentat
theheartoftheLestWeForgetbookandexhibitionsinspiredbytheproject.
Thesecreativeresponsesweredevelopedlargelybycollege-agefemale
Emiratistudentsinresponsetophotographsoftheirparentsandgrandparents.
Thestudentsconductinterviewswiththeirfamilymembersaboutthe
photographsandobjects,andinadditiontowritingdownthestoriesrevealed
throughtheinterviews,createartisticresponsesasreflectionsonthestories
theyhear.Theinterviewsconductedbythestudentscaptureinterestingand
importantstories,trends,memories,andhistoryoftheUAE,whicharethe
inspirationforthedevelopmentofcreativeresponsesintheformofdigital
narratives,audiorecordings,films,andgamesthatareshowcasedalongsidethe
familyphotographsintheLestWeForgetExhibitionintheWarehouse421
GallerySpaceinAbuDhabi.
Todate,LestWeForgethasdevelopedandopenedfiveexhibitions,
publishedtwobooks,begunanationalarchive,andhelddozensofworkshops
andtalksorganizedaroundthethemesofnationalidentity,culture,architecture,
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andheritageintheUnitedArabEmirates.InMarch2013,LestWeForget:
EmiratiVernacularPhotographywasexhibitedatZayedUniversity’sArtGallery,
andafterwardmovedtotheQasrAlHosnMuseumasapermanentexhibition.
QasrAlHosn,whichtranslatestoPalaceFort,istheoldeststandingbuildingin
AbuDhabi,datingbackto1761,andwasformanyyearsthepermanent
residenceoftherulingSheikhoftheEmirateofAbuDhabi.
Myinvolvementintheprojectspannedfrom2011-2016,andduringthat
timeIcontributedasanartist,aneducator,andacollaboratortoLestWeForget,
throughapartnershipwithCreativeDirector,MicheleBambling,herteam,and
theotherartisticcollaboratorswhoworkedwiththeproject.Mycontributions
totheprojectwereahybridofteachingworkshops,mentoring,providing
technicalguidanceforthecollectiondevelopment,digitalpreservationand
metadatadocumentation,thedevelopmentofthecontentanddesignforaweb-
basedcollection,aswellastechnicalsupportandmediadevelopmentforthe
exhibitions.
4.2 SectionTwo:Context
4.2.1 AbuDhabiandtheUAE
AccordingtotheWorldBank,thepopulationoftheUnitedArabEmirates
(UAE)asof2014was9.086million.In1971whenthesevenTrucialStates—
AbuDhabi,Dubai,Sharjah,Ajman,UmAlQuwain,Fujairah,andRasAlKhaima—
unifiedunderthefirstpresidentoftheUAE,SheikhZayedbinSultanAlNahyan,
thetotalpopulationwas272,211.AccordingtotheUAE’sFederal
CompetitivenessandStatisticsAuthorityCensusdatafrom2005(FCSA,2005),
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thetotalpopulationoftheUAEin2005was4,106,427,whiletheEmirati
populationoftheUAEwas825,495—makingtheEmiratipopulationroughly
20%ofthenationalpopulation.IntheEmirateofAbuDhabi,thetotal
populationin2005was1,399,484,whilethenationalpopulationwas350,277
makingtheEmiratipopulationroughly25%,withanon-Emiratiexpatriate
contingentmakinguproughly75%ofthepopulation.
TheUAEhasundergonerapidmodernizationoverthelast40years;prior
tothat,thecountrywaslargelycomposedofsemi-nomadicBedouin
communities.IntheBedouintradition,tribessettleinonegeographicareaand
thenmovetogetherasacommunitybasedonfactorsincludingtheclimate,
accesstowater,andtimeofyear.ThemoderncitiesoftheUAE,namelyAbu
DhabiandDubai,werelargelyuninhabitedduringthewarmermonthsofthe
year,whenthetemperaturecanreachupwardsof50degreesCelsius,astribes
wouldsettleinthecountry’soasesandmountainousregions.
TheUAE’smainsourceofwealthisitsoilreserves,whichhavesupported
thecountry’srapiddevelopmentandmodernization.TheUAE’sapproachto
developmenthasbeentoleveragetheexpertiseofindividualsandcompanies
fromaroundtheglobe.Thisincludesthedevelopmentofvastinfrastructure
systemsthroughoutthecountry,includingpowerandwater;plannedurban
developmentprojects,likelanddredgingtoincreasethesizeofthecities;new
architecturalfeats;aviationdevelopment;andthetargetedgrowthand
developmentofindustries,includinghotelsandhospitality,education,hospitals
andmedicalsystems,andmostrecentlyeducationalandculturalinstitutions.
Overthepastsevenyears,thegovernmentofAbuDhabihasinvested
significantresourcesintotheplanninganddevelopmentofSaadiyatIsland,
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whichisintendedtobethehubofeducationandcultureinAbuDhabi.These
projectsinclude:NewYorkUniversityAbuDhabi,whereIhaveworkedforthe
pastsevenyears;ManaratAlSaadiyat,thecity’sartisticgalleryspaceandcurrent
homeoftheUAEPavilion;TheLouvreAbuDhabi,whichisprojectedtobe
completedby2017;theGuggenheimAbuDhabi,whichhadnotbrokengroundas
ofApril2016;andtheZayedNationalMuseuminpartnershipwiththeBritish
Museum.
4.2.2 MicheleBamblingandtheZayedUniversityStudents
IfirstmetMicheleBamblingin2010throughamutualfriendinAbu
Dhabi,thecapitalcityoftheUnitedArabEmirates(UAE).Ourcollaboration
beganwithMichele’sLivingNationalTreasuresProject,whichsheworkedon
beforecompletingherPhDinJapanesearthistory.Theprojectconsistedof
interviewingJapan’soldesttraditionalmakersofnationaltreasures.Shehad
morethanonehundredaudiocassettesofrecordedinterviews,andthousandsof
negativesofphotographsthatneededtobedigitized,transcribed,edited,and
tagged.Imanagedthedigitizationandarchivingoftheaudiomaterialandthe
negatives,whichincludededitingandtaggingthematerialwithavarietyof
metadataparameters,suchasthenameofthepersonbeinginterviewed,their
profession,andthegeographyinwhichtheinterviewtookplace.Webeganthe
processofreconstructingdigitalnarrativesofthenationaltreasuresthroughthe
developmentofvignettevideopiecesthatareintendedtobeapartofabigger
projectonJapaneseNationalTreasuresandCulturalHeritage.
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ShortlyafterworkingontheLivingNationalTreasuresproject,Michele
reachedouttoaskifIwouldbeinterestedinparticipatinginanewprojectthat
shewasworkingonwithherstudentsatZayedUniversityonEmiraticultural
heritage.Iwasveryinterestedintheprojectfromthebeginning,andwaslucky
tobeabletoseetheprojectgrowfromitsinceptionin2011.WhileIwasnot
involvedinthefirstyearoftheproject,Ididhearaboutitthroughinterviews
andconversationswithMichele,andIsawthefirstexhibitiontiedtoLestWe
Forget,ashowcaseofstudentworkfromMichele’sclasses,heldatZayed
University’s(ZU)CACEArtGallery.Iwasstruckbythebreadthoftheexhibition
andthewayitseamlesslywovetogetherhard-to-accessandpreciousEmirati
historicalmaterialswithaninformalstudent-drivenapproachtoartistic
curation.Theexhibitionfeltbothpolished(anaestheticsocommoninthe
presentationofartisticworkofanycaliberintheEmiratesthatitisexpected)
andcreativelyhaphazardinanauthenticwaythatindicatedawork-in-progress.
TheprojectbeganasahomeworkassignmentinMicheleBambling’s
curationclassatZayedUniversity’sWomen’sCollegeinAbuDhabi.Michele
askedherstudentstobringinphotographsfromtheirfamilyalbums.Having
livedintheUAEforfiveyearsatthetime,shewasfamiliarwithcultural
sensitivitiesandprivacywithintheEmiraticommunity,andanticipatedthatthe
girlsmightnoteasilyacquirefamilyphotographs.Herstudentsfirstresponded
totheprojectwithhesitation,offeringexplanationsforwhybringinginthe
familyphotographsmightbechallenging,suchasitbeingdifficulttospeakwith
theirfathersabouttherequest,notknowingwherethephotographswere,or
thattheirfamilieswouldnotallowit.Eventuallythegirlsfoundwaystospeakto
theirfamiliesandgetthephotographs,andtheycametoclasswithphotographs
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oftheirfathers,grandfathers,uncles,orbrothers,andthisiswherethe
conversationbegan.
Yetthestudentsweredissatisfiedwithaphotographicrepresentationof
theircommunitywhereimagesofgirlsandwomenweremissing.Theytold
storiesofencounteringgreatpushbackwhentheyaskedtheirmothersand
grandmothersiftheycouldsharetheirphotographsinclass.Onestudenttolda
storyabouthowhergrandmotherrippedupabunchofphotographssothatthey
couldnotbesharedinapublicarena.Someofthegirlswereabletoacquire
photographsofwomenintheirfamilies;thoughmanyofthesephotographswere
notofthewomen’sfaces,butratheroftheirhands,ortakenfrombehind,asthis
wasoftendoneoutofrespectforwomen’smodesty.
WhenMicheletalksaboutherexperiencecollectingphotographsofgirls
andwomenintheUAE,sherecountsconversationsshehadwiththemothers
andgrandmotherswhowantedtogivephotographs,andwhofeltitwas
importantthattheycontributephotographsofthemselvestothecollection.
“Someweregiventomebythegrandmothersthemselves.Theywantedtoshare
thembecausetheywantedtoberememberedandtheywantedtheirdaughters
andgranddaughterstoseethattheydresseddifferentlybackthen.”Michele
wentontosharehowmanyofthestudentswholookedatthepicturesofwomen
weresurprisedtoseetheabaya[traditionalblackrobewornbywomeninthe
Emirates]wasonlylooselycoveringtheirclothesorthattheshayla[traditional
blackscarfusedtocoverawoman’shair]wasn’tsotightlywrapped;therewas
casualness,buttherewerealotofpicturesthatshowjustthehandsofthe
womencooking,orpartofthebody,withoutphotographingtheirfaces.
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Tobroadenthestudent’sperspectivesaboutthevalueofvernacular
photography,andaboutwhatcouldbedonewiththephotographstheycollected,
studentswereexposedtoothervernacularphotographyprojectsandarchivesin
class.OneoftheseprojectswasakaKurdistan,aprojectbyPhotographerSusan
Meiselas,whoseaimwastoprovidetheKurdishpeoplewithaborderlessspace
tobuildcollectivememorythroughphotographyandstorytelling.Michele
invitedSusanMeiselastoherclasstolectureandfacilitateworkshopsonthe
processofbuildingaphotographiccollectionofpersonalandfamilystories.
Meiselasparticipatedheavilyintheinitialcreativeworkshopsthatinformedthe
exhibitionatZayedUniversity,andwasinstrumentalintheorganization,
presentation,andlayoutofthebook,LestWeForget:EmiratiFamilyPhotographs
1950-1999.
Micheledevelopedacurriculumthataskedstudentstousestudioart
techniques,includingstitching,drawing,andcoloring,aswellasdigitalmedia
tools,suchasAdobePhotoshopandIndesign,tohighlightelementsof
photographsthatwereofinterest.Thestudentsalsoexplorednotionsofself-
representation,creatingimagesofthemselvestheywouldfeelcomfortable
showcasingtotheUniversitycommunity.Throughoutthecourseofthe
semesterthestudentscontinuedtheirworkontransformationsandcreative
interpretationsofphotographsofthemselvesandthoseoffamilymembersthat
theyweregivenpermissiontosharewiththeclass.
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Image4.1TheimagesaboveareexamplesofartisticresponsesthestudentscreatedtophotographstakenofthemselvesduringthedevelopmentoftheZayedUniversityexhibit.TheseimageswereincludedintheexhibitionatZU,aswellastheexhibitatWarehouse421.
4.2.3 HowIBecameInvolvedwithLestWeForget
In2012,aftertheZayedUniversityexhibition,MicheleaskedifIwouldbe
interestedandwillingtoworkwithheronfurtherdevelopingtheproject.Atthat
timeshewasorganizingaseriesofcreativeworkshopsthatwouldprovideher
teamandgroupsofrotatinginternswithacreativeandtechnicalskillsettobe
usedinthedevelopmentoffilmsandoralhistoriesinresponsetothe
photographiccollectionthatwasunderdevelopment.Iwaseagertogetinvolved
andwasinterestedinthequestionsMichele’sprojectaskedabouthowwemight
thinkofdevelopinganationalarchivethatiscross-generational,andwhichfrom
theonsetvaluesengagementwithcreativepractice.Myskillsandinterestsin
oralhistoryandrecordeddocumentation,alongwithapreoccupationwiththe
inclusionofcreativepracticeinmyteaching,mademeexcitedtoworkonthe
project.
Iwasinitiallyinvitedtoparticipateintheprojectasasoundartistand
askedtodevelopasix-weekworkshopfortheinternsonsoundrecordingand
narrativedevelopment.Thesix-weekworkshopmettwiceperweekforthefull
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day.Thefirstmeetingwasroundtablelesson,discussion,andhandsonlearning,
whilethesecondmeetingoftheweekwasagroupcritiqueofthecontentthe
girlsdeveloped.Theworkshopwasspecificallygearedtowardteachinginterns
howtorecordfamilystories,conversations,andinterviews,andhowtothenedit
theserecordings,andweavetogethernarrativesfromthemforthecollectionand
exhibitions.Thecreativesoundresponsestothemaintableofphotographs
withintheWarehouse421Exhibitionwereallconceivedof,recorded,andedited
withinmyworkshop.LestWeForgettookonbatchesofinternswhostudiedart
anddesignatZayedUniversity’sWomen’scollege.Thegirls(therespectfulterm
usedtorefertounmarriedfemaleundergraduatestudentsintheUAE),would
spendsixweeksinterningwithLWF,learningnewskills,helpingtobuildthe
collection,andinsomecasesstayingonasinternsoremployeesoftheproject
aftertheinternshipended.
4.2.4 LWFBeforeIBecameInvolved
LestWeForgethasgrownintoamajorgrassrootsartsandheritage
initiativeintheUAEthataimstoarchive,preserveandsharevernacular
photographsandoralhistoriesoftheUAEthroughitswebpresence,
publications,workshops,andexhibitions.LestWeForgetistacklingthe
challengeofbuildinganarchiveofanationthathasundergonerapid
developmentandchangesince1971,butwhichhasonlyrecentlybeganto
documentthatprocessthroughthecollectionofmaterialsandinterviewswith
thecommunity.Atpresentthecollectioniscomprisedofvernacular
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photographsandobjectsthatarecontributedbyEmirati’sfromtheirhomes,
alongwithcreativeresponsestothesephotographsandobjects.
However,theprojectdidnotstartoutthisway.InMarch2013,Michele
BamblingandherZayedUniversitystudentscuratedanexhibitionatthe
University’sCACEGalleryentitledLestWeForget:EmiratiFamilyPhotography
1950-1999.TheexhibitionwasinauguratedbyHisHighnessSheikhNahyanbin
MubarakAlNahyan,theUAEministerofCultureandthePresidentofZayed
University.Theexhibitionwastheculminationoftwoyearsofworkbystudents
inseveralofMichele’sclasses.Thegallerywasbrokenintoanumberofspaces,
eachofwhichcontainedacuratedinstallationorganizedaroundatheme,all
inspiredbyphotographsandobjectsstudent’shadsharedfromtheirfamily
homesandalbums.Thereweretwolongtablesinthecenterofthegallerythat
heldthebookinprogress,LestWeForget,alongwithmanyexcerpts,
photographs,andcreativeworksthatservedasexamplesofthatwhichwouldbe
containedwithinthe300-plus-pagebook.Oldtypewriterswereondisplaywith
bothEnglishandArabicletteredkeys.Thetypewriterswereusedbystudents
andvisitorstotypeupstoriesabouttheirfamilyphotographs,somewereof
photographsalreadyincludedinthebook,whileotherswerenewcontributions.
Visitorswerewelcometousethetypewriters,andformanyofthegallery’s
youngervisitorsitmayhavebeentheirfirstsuchopportunity,asantiquated
mechanicalandelectronicdevicesaredifficulttofindinAbuDhabi;theseitems
areoftendiscardedfrompeople’shomeswhennewertechnologiesbecame
available.
Thestudentartistscirculatedthroughoutthegalleryduringtheopening
reception,servingasguidesforthegeneralpublicastheyroamedtheexhibition.
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Thegirlsspokeaboutthegenesisofthework,theideasthatultimatelyledtothe
exhibit,theindividualinstallations,aswellastheculturalandhistorical
backgroundoftheexhibit.Oneinstallationhadaloopedvideoclipprojected
ontopiecesofbrightlymulticoloredfabrichangingfromtheceiling.Inthevideo,
whichbasedonitsqualityappearedtobefromthe1980s,youngEmiratigirls
dressedinfancyclothingandwalkedaroundacrowdofpeopletossingtheirhair
backandforth.OneofthestudentartistsfromMichele’sclassexplainedthatthe
videowasofatraditionalEmiratidancethatwasperformedbygirlsatspecial
eventslikeweddings.
Asecondinstallationwassetuplikealivingroomormajlis(seatingarea)in
someone’shome.Theaudiencecouldlookatthelivingroombutnotsitinit.
Theobjectsinthespaceweremostlyfamiliar,includingtelevisions,oldcouches,
andcoffeepots.Astudentexplainedthattheinstallationattemptedtoreproduce
atraditionalEmiratihomefromthe1980s,andthatinthepresentdayitis
extremelydifficulttofindmanyoftheseobjectsinanEmiratihome,astheyhave
beendiscarded.Themotherofthestudentwhodonatedtheobjectswasvery
takenwitholderfurnishingsandkeepsacollectioninherhome.The
installationswerevaried,includingEmiratiwomenandgirlsclothingdating
backtothe1970s,aswellasaninstallationthatincludedrecordedaudio
narrativesandbriefcasesofobjects,severalthatfeaturedvideopieces,anda
numberthatshowcasedoriginalphotographsthematically,asintheexampleof
theinstallationofphotographsofSheikhZayedbinSultanAlNahyan,the
founderandfirstpresidentoftheUAE.Studentshadcollectedfamily
photographswithSheikhZayed,andplacedthemonatablethathadlightbulbs
protrudingfromit.Thestudent’sthendreweyesonthelightbulbs,whichleft
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interestingreflectionsandshadowsontheimagesonthetable,asacommentary
onSheikhZayed’swatchfuleyeoverthepeopleofthenation.
Theexhibitiongainedpublicityandexposureinthecommunity.The
projectreceivedbackingfromTheSheikhaSalamabintHamdanAlNahyan
Foundation,whothenaskedMicheletosignonasthecreativedirectorofthe
project,whichshedid,leavingheracademicpositionatZayedUniversity.Lest
WeForget:EmiratiFamilyPhotography1950-1999,movedfromZayed
University’sCACEgallerytotheQasrAlHosnMuseum.
Inadditiontohousingtheexhibition,theQasrAlHosnMuseumservedas
LWF’smainvenueforworkshopsandevents.Micheleandherteam
programmedaseriesofworkshopswithmembersofthecommunity,aswellas
studentsandteachersfromtheUAE.Theyinvitedguestlecturers,filmmakers,
artists,students,communitymembers,andacademicstospeakabouttopics
intimatelytiedtotheproject.Thegoaloftheseeventswastobringpeople
togethertohaveconversationsaboutculture,history,andmemoryintheUAE.
Workshopsbecameaplacewherenewideasweredeveloped,andwherepeople
whofeltpassionatelyabouttheprojectwouldbringtheirphotographsand
objectstocontributetothecollection.
LestWeForgethasbeenaskedtorepresenttheUAEinseveralprojectsand
nationalcelebrations.In2014LestWeForget:StructuresofMemoryintheUAE,
representedtheUAEattheNationalPavilionattheVeniceBiennale,andin
February2015theexhibitwasre-erectedasthecentralgalleryoftheQasrAl
HosnFestivalinAbuDhabi.Theexhibitexaminedthearchitecturalhistoryof
AbuDhabiinthe1970sand’80s.InNovember2015,LestWeForget:Emirati
FamilyPhotographs1950-1999openedasthecentralexhibitionatWarehouse
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421,anewgalleryhousedundertheculturalheritageinitiativeoftheSheikha
SalamaBintHamdanAlNahyanFoundation,locatedinAbuDhabi’sMinaZayed
PortDistrict.
4.2.5 TheWarehouse421Exhibition
TheLestWeForgetProjectoverseasthecurationofexhibitionsforthe
maingalleryspaceatWarehouse421.Eachinstallationinthecurrentexhibition
wasbuiltaroundathemefromthebookLestWeForget:EmiratiFamily
Photographs1950-1999,andincorporatesintotheexhibitsphysicalpagesfrom
thebook.(Seeimage4.2)Thebookintendstocapturethestateofthevernacular
photographycollectiontodate,aswellasthestoriesaboutthephotographsfrom
thefamilieswhocontributedthem,andcreativeresponsestothephotographsby
Emiraticollegestudents.Thebookreleasecoincidedwiththegalleryopening.
Image4.2TheintroductionwalltotheWarehouse421exhibitionofLestWeForget,wherepagesofthebookareshowcased.Thepagesrepresentedinthisphotographspantheorganizationalthemesofthebook,whichwereusedasthebasisfortheorganizationoftheinstallationswithinthegallery.
171
Oneexampleofatheme-basedexhibitattheWarehouse421galleryisthe
telephoneroom,whichisorganizedaroundthebookthemeof“Aloo,”a
colloquialwayofsaying“hello,”orthingsthatpertaintothetelephone.The
followingisanexampleofapageofthebookthatwasincludedinthetelephone
roominstallation,whichshowsacoupletelephoninghomeduringtheirHaj
PilgrimageinSaudiArabia.Thisphotographistakenfrompage254oftheLest
WeForgetbook,andisoverlaidwithatransparencyofthestudent’shand
writtenstoryfromherinterviewwithhermotheraboutthephotograph(Image
4.3).
Image4.3Imageandhandwrittenoverlayfrompage254oftheLestWeForgetBook.
Visitorscanenterthetelephoneinstallation,asmallsparselyfurnished
spacewithtwochairsandtworotarytelephones.Ononetelephone,avisitorcan
dialanumberbetween0and9tolisteninonpre-recordedtelephone
conversationsmeanttomimicachild’sexperiencepickingupatelephonein
theirhome—beforecellphones—andlisteninginontheirparents’
conversations.Thesecondtelephoneprovidesvisitorswithanopportunityto
recordtheirowntelephoneconversationfromtheirownmemories.Thepage
fromthebookcontainingthisphotographisaffixedtothewallofthetelephone
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roominstallation,alongsideseveralotherpagesfromthe“Aloo”section.The
pagesonthewallserveasalink,tyingtogetherthestudent’ssonicandwritten
responsestothetelephonephotographs,withsomeofthephotographsthat
servedastheirinspiration.Thisroom,alongwithseveralothersinthe
exhibition,solicitsparticipationfromvisitorsofthegalleryintheformoftheir
owncreativeresponsetothearchivalphotographsandstoriesinthebookand
thecreativeresponsesofthephoneconversationstheylistenedtoonthephone.
TheLestWeForgetexhibitionatWarehouse421alsoincludedacar
installation,whereoneoftheintern’sinterviewswithherfatherabouthis
Thunderbird,aswellasambientrecordingsofthecarhornandignitionstartup,
werefeaturedalongsidephotographsandstoriesofpeopleintheUAEwiththeir
firstcars(Image4.4).
Thefollowingphotographwasincludedinthecarinstallationatthe
exhibition.
Image4.4Thecaptionthataccompaniesthisphotographfrompage298oftheLestWeForgetBookreadsasfollows:Thisphotoofmymotherwastakenwhenshewasabout3yearsold.SheisposingwithhertwocousinsinfrontofaVolkswagonbeetlethatmylategrandfatherowned.Theyallhadsimilarmatchingoutfits,whichweretrendybackthen,especiallyinEid.Mymother’scousinisholdinghernewdollstillpackaged.ItseemslikethedollwasanEidgift,sometimesinEidtheywouldgivethekidsgiftsaswellasmoney.
173
ImmensesupportoftheexhibitionfromthegovernmentoftheUAEhas
createdhighvisibilityforLestWeForgetwithinthecommunity,whichhas
translatedintogreaterinterestinandcontributiontothearchive.Atpresent,
LestWeForgetisinconversationsaboutrepresentingtheUAE’scultural
heritagefortheDubai2020Expo.Likemanyarchivalartsprojects,LestWe
Forgetfavorsworkshops,interviews,andin-personengagementoverstrictly
relyingonawebpresence,insupportofcollectiondevelopment.AsHalFoster
tellsus,“inmostarchivalarttheactualmeansappliedtothese‘relational’ends
arefarmoretactileandface-to-facethananyWebinterface”(Foster,2004,p.4).
Itisexactlythisapproachoffluidityandinterpersonalengagementthathas
gainedtheLestWeForgetprojectparticipationandinterestfromtheEmirati
community,aculturewhereprivacyisprized.
4.3 SectionThree:OriginalContributions
4.3.1. TheWorkshops
MyinvolvementbeganwhenMicheleaskedmetodevelopasix-week
workshopforarecentlyrecruitedgroupofinternsfromZayedUniversity,some
ofwhomwereherformerstudents.Theworkshopfocusedonthedevelopment
ofcreativeresponsestovernacularphotographsthroughthemediumof
recordedsound.Thegirlsspentthesixweeksdevelopingdigitalnarrativesin
responsetophotographsoftheirparentsandgrandparents.Theseresponses
wereinformedbydiscussionsamongthegirlsintheworkshopsontopicssuch
ashistoricalandculturaldifferencesingender,clothing,travel,cars,and
antiquatedtechnologies.Theworkshopsprimarygoalwasfortheinternsto
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develop82sonicnarratives,inArabicandEnglish,whichwouldbeshowcasedin
conjunctionwith82vernacularphotographsintheexhibitionatWarehouse421
(Image4.5).
Image4.5Thisimageisofthe82photographsonthephototableintheexhibition.Eachphotographhasanaudioiconprintedatthetopofthepagewithanumberthat
visitorscanuseinthewebapptohearstoriesofthephotograph.Theworkshoprantwiceperweekfornearlythewholeday,contingent
ontheintern’spersonalavailability.Someonewouldbeoutsick,orhavea
familyobligation,atleastonceperweek.Theworkshopwasdesignedto
introducethegirlstotheideasofnarrativeandtoprovidethemwiththe
necessarytechnicalskillstodevelopsonicresponses.Idevelopedacurriculum
inadvanceoftheworkshops(seeAppendixB)thataimedforonemeetingper
week,butitbecameclearoncewebeganmeetingthataweeklymeetingplusa
weeklycritiquewouldbestsupportoneoftheintendedoutcomesofthe
workshop;fortheinternstodevelopsoniccreativeresponsesforeachofthe82
photographsinthefirstexhibitoftheWarehouse421exhibition.
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Idesignedtheworkshopstointroducethegirlstoavarietyofconcepts
includingtherelationshipbetweenforminvisualandsonicmaterials,tosound
mapping,thenotionofrecordedsoundaccompanyingvisualmaterial,and
helpingguideaviewerthroughacuratedsonicexperience.Duringthefirst
workshopwelistenedtoexamplesofdifferentkindsofonlinecollectionswith
recordedsound,learnedhowtodiscerngoodqualityrecordedaudiofrombad,
alongwithsomeofthelanguagetodifferentiatequalitiesofrecordedaudio,for
examplethesoundbeingtoohot,recordedattoohighalevelortooclosetothe
soundsource.Thegirlslearnedaboutmonitoringaudio,interviewquestions,
howtochooseagoodenvironmenttorecordaninterview,ambientnoise,
handlingnoise,popfilters,andavarietyofotherpracticalrecordingtipsand
tricks.
Theinitialclassesoftheworkshopfocusedonlookingatotherprojects
thatconnectstorytellingandinterviewwithphotographs,liketheNewYork
TimesOnein8Millionproject,wherephotographsandrecordedinterviewsare
editedtogethertotellastoryofresidentsofNewYorkCity,inanattemptto
highlightorgetattheessenceofNewYorkCityasaplace.Thestudentswere
givenavarietyofexercisestohelpfurthertheirunderstandingandskillset,
basedontheexamplesdiscussedintheworkshops.Inparticulartheywere
askedtocreateaplanfortheirownsoundmapsincludingwhatsonic
environmenttheywantedtocommunicate,andhowtheywouldcapturethe
sonicmaterialandthenshareitbackforaviewer.Inadditiontheclasseslooked
atdevelopinginterviewquestions,understandinghowtodrawnarrative
connectionsbetweenimagesandsound,andhowtotellastory.Initiallythe
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Girlswouldworktogetheringroupstoconductmockinterviews,andtobecome
familiarwiththeprocess,theequipment,andhearingtheirownvoicesrecorded.
ThegirlswerealsoprovidedanintroductoryoverviewtotheZoomH5
recorders,includinghands-onpracticewithdigitalrecordingandeditingon
AudacityandLogicPro.Wecoveredskillsandtechniquesastheneedforthem
aroseinourcritique.Forexample,whilerecordingacreativeresponsefora
photographofchildreninschoolcelebratingNationalDay,oneoftheinterns
wantedtolayeraninterviewofastudentsmemoryofherchildhoodschooldays
spentlikethestudentsinthephotograph,withtheUAENationalAntheminthe
background.Thisdiscussionledtoaworkshoponlayeringaudio,panning,
mixing,andbasicautomation.Severalofthestudentswerealsointerestedin
workingonfilm-basedcreativeresponsesforotheraspectsoftheexhibition,so
wealsocoveredbasicsofsoundinfilm,includingimporting,syncing,marker
creation,andeditinginFinalCutProandProTools.
Thesecondmeetingeachweekwasthecritiqueday,wherethegirls
wouldsharetheirworksinprogress.Thisiswherethegroupdeveloped
aestheticanddesignchoicesfortheexpressionofcreativenarrative.Earlyonin
theprocess,thegirlsraisedquestionsaboutstyle,language,andlengthforthe
digitalnarratives.Collectivelywedecidedthateachdigitalnarrativewouldbein
bothArabicandEnglish,inthefirstperson,androughly30secondsinlength.
4.3.2 CritiqueSessions
Thecritiquesessionsservedasanopportunityforthegirlstosharetheir
workandgivetheirfeedbacktotheirpeers.Italsoservedasthekeymoment
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duringtheworkshopswhereIprovidedinputtohelpshapetheircreative
endeavors.Inoticedearlyonintheworkshopsthatthegirlswereoftenmore
literalthancreativeintheirresponsestophotographs,forexampletheirinitial
inclinationwasoftentorecordadescriptionofwhatwashappeningina
photograph.Iguidedthegirlstowardamorereflectiveapproachtotheir
response,forexample,askingthemtorecordthemselvesspeakingabouta
memorythatwastriggeredbylookingatthephotograph,orsomethingthatthe
photographremindedthemof.Ialsoaskedthegirlstointerviewmembersof
theirfamilywhowereeitherinthephotograph,orwhoremembertheperiodof
timeormomentwhenthephotographwastaken.Myhopewasthathearing
particularlyolder-generationmembersoftheirfamilyspeakabouttheirpast,a
periodoftimethatthegirlscouldnotremember,mighthelptoincreasetheir
interestintheirownpast,andmightallowthemtoseethewayothersreflecton
photographs,tohelpprovidethemwithsomenewideasfortheirownresponses
thatwerenotstrictlydescriptive.
Ialsousedthecritiquesessionsasanopportunityforallofthegirlsto
providefeedbackoneachother’srecordingsandcreativeresponsesinaway
thatwouldprovideeachwithadditionalinformation,ideas,andtechniquesto
considerwhenrevisingtheirpieces.Manyofthecritiquedayswouldbeginby
tapingcolorphotocopiesofall82photographsaroundthemainworkshopspace.
Oneatatime,thegirlswouldsharetherecordingstheyworkedonthatweek,
andasafull-groupdiscussionandcritiquewasunderway,thegirlswere
encouragedtowalkaroundtheroomandplacecommentsonpostitnotesnext
tothephotographprintoutwewerediscussing.(Seeimages4.3,4.4,and4.5)By
theendofthecritique,eachgirlhadgivenverbalandwrittenfeedback,andthe
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workshopspacewasfilledwiththeircreativethoughtsandideas.Michele
occasionallyparticipatedinthecritiqueprocessaswelltogivefeedback,andat
timestryandsteerthedirectionofsomeoftheirwork,toensurethatitwas
appropriatefortheexhibition.12
Image4.6 Image4.7
Image4.8Allthreeoftheseimagescapturetheworkshopprocesswheretheinternsexploredthevernacularphotographs,sharingpersonalreflectionsabouteach,andthencollectivelycritiquingthedigitalnarrativesinEnglishandArabic.Duringacritiquesession,oneoftheinternsbroughtinaninterviewofher
fatherspeakingabouthiscarcollection.Init,shewasaskinghimtotalkabout
hisfavoritecar,whichwasaThunderbird.Hesaidthathelovedhavingoldcars
butitwasverydifficulttofindthenecessarypartsintheregion,sohewould
12Aftertheworkshopswereover,MicheleultimatelytookallofthecreativesonicresponsestobeapprovedbytheFoundationbeforetheywereallowedtobeapartoftheexhibit.Despitehavingpre-vettedthematerialsduringthecritiquesandcreativeprocess,anumberofthegirls’pieceswerenotapproved,basedonthecontent,andneededtobecreatedagainwithinaverytighttimeline.Thisleadtothecreationofsoundpiecesthatwerelackingindepthandcreativity,andinsomecasesdidnotprovideanyinterestinginformationorcommentaryforthelistener.ThesepiecesareamongthecreativesonicresponsescurrentlyondisplayatWarehouse421,andwithinthemobileapplication.
179
havetotraveltotheUnitedStatestofindthepartsheneeded.Welistenedasa
grouptotherecordings,andtheinternsharedherexperienceofinterviewing
herfather,aswellasthechallengesshefaced.Theseincludedthedifficultyof
findingtimeinbothoftheirschedulestoconducttheinterview,beingsureto
havetheaudiorecorderonhandwhentheinterviewwashappening,andhow
thepresenceoftherecorderimpactedherfather’scomfort.Thegroupthen
weighedinwiththeirthoughtsontherecordings,targetedtowardboththe
content,andthefidelityoftherecording.Thiswasfocusedonthequalityand
perceiveddistanceofthespeaker’svoice,thesignaltonoiseratio,theamountof
signalorwantedsoundincomparisontothenoise,orunwantedsoundinthe
recording,i.e.,airconditioners,orchildrenplayinginthebackground,andhow
welltheintervieweravoidedunwantedhandlingnoiseandclipping.Thecritique
usuallylefttheinternswitharenewedsenseofdirectionforbothrevisingthe
narrativeandgettingamoreprofessionalsoundingrecording.
Thegirlsoftenworkedcollectivelyonabatchofphotographs,helpingone
anotherdevelopcontentandrecordings,bybrainstormingcollectivememories
aboutthephotographsandwhatthevisualelementsremindedthemof.Inone
example,therewasaphotographofaboyinacostumeagainstabackdrop;the
narrativeforthephotographwasaboutthewallpaperonthewallbehindtheboy
inthephotograph.Severalgirlsagreedthatthephotographremindedthemof
theirchildhood,(thelate1980s-early1990s)wheneveryhomeseemedtohave
averysimilarpatternandcolorofwallpaper.
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181
livesandexperiencesarefarlessdeveloped,specificallythatwhichexisted20or
30yearsbeforetheywereborn.
Thegirlsbondedoverphotographsthatallowedthemtoreachbackinto
theirchildhoodmemoriesofaUAEthatnolongerexistsexceptintheir
memoriesandphotographalbums.Thisphotographofayoungboyina
khandora,standingagainstthebackdropofawallwithanoldair-conditioning
unit,particularlyinspiredthegirlstoconnectwithoneanotherovershared
memories.
Image4.10FamilyphotoofanEmiratiboyfixinganairconditioner
Heisholdingthechordoftheairconditionerinonehandandwhatlooks
likeascrewdriverintheother.Thegirls’initialbrainstormforthisphotograph
wasadiscussionabouttheirmemoriesoftheseold-styleairconditioners,and
howtherewasoneineachroom.Inacountrywheretemperaturesinthe
summerroutinelyclimbto115degreesFahrenheit,or46degreesCelsius,air
conditioningisadailypartoflife.AlmostallaccommodationsinAbuDhabi
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todayhavecentralairconditioningsystems,makingthesestand-aloneunits
obsolete,athingofthepast.Theysharedmemoriesofhowlongithadbeensince
theyhadseentheold-styleairconditioner,andhowprominenttheseunitshad
beenintheirlivesgrowingup.Oneofthegirlsrecalledanauralmemoryofthe
soundoftheoldunits.Thismemorycausedaneruptionofjoyandacacophony
oflaughterandcomfort.Eachgirlsharedhermemoryofthenoisethattheunits
made,howloudtheywere,howtheymaskedothersounds,andonandon.The
selectedaudiorecordingtopartnerwiththisphotographintheexhibitionwas
recordedbyoneoftheinternswhostillhadoneoftheseoldunitsinherfamily
home.Therecordingbeginsinrelativesilence,followedbytheclickingofaknob
beingmovedfromtheoffpositiontoahighlevelofcooling.SeetheIndexof
digitalattachmentsforAircon.wav.
Thepracticeofsharingcommonexperiencesandofrecallinghistorical
familyandculturalreferences,inspiredbyobjects,places,andstylesfromone
another’sphotographs,leadtoagreaterinterestinthelivesandexperiencesof
theirparentsandgrandparents.Commonthemesemergedfromthefamily
photographsthatallowedforgroupingstobemade.Theseincludedbutarenot
limitedtobirthdays,weddings,internationaltravel,telephones,babies,and
studioportraits.Thesegroupingsservedasthepreliminaryfoundationforthe
organizationofthebook,whichfueledtheorganizationoftheexhibitions.
4.3.3 DigitalMediaArchivingTools
InadditiontotheworkshopsIalsoadvisedMicheleonthedesignofthe
digitalmediaarchivestudiothatexistswithinWarehouse421,asaspacewhere
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visitorscancometocontributematerialstothearchive.Thestudioisdesigned
toserveseveralpurposes,thefirstofwhichisasahigh-enddocumentation
environment,wherephotographsandobjectscanbescanned,photographed,
documentedandcataloguedwhilethevisitorroamsthegallery,afterwhichthe
materialsarereturnedtothem.GiventheresistancewithintheEmirati
communitytocontributingpersonalfamilyphotographsandartifactstothe
collection,thestudiospaceisintentionallylocatedwithinthegalleryspacein
ordertoencouragecontributionsfromvisitors.Thestudioisconvenientfor
visitorstothespace,astheycancontributeanoralhistoryorphotographduring
theirvisit.Thestudiowasembeddedwithinthegallerywiththehopesthatafter
viewingtheexhibitionvisitorswouldbemoreinclinedtocontributeandshare
withthecollection.Thestudioisalsodesignedtosupportoralhistoryrecording
andvideodocumentation,inadditiontoservingasaworkshopandtraining
space.
4.3.4 ExhibitionTechnology
IworkedonthedeploymentoftheLestWeForgetexhibitionapp,which
allowsvisitorstoviewmediacontentontheirphoneortabletwebbrowseras
theywalkaroundthegallery.Theappisasourceofadditionalinformation,and
providestheaudiencewithacloserlookatphotographs,andtheopportunityto
listentodigitalnarrativesabouteachphotographinbothArabicandEnglish.
Thewebappwasreleasedinconjunctionwiththeexhibition;however,the
intentionisthatitwillcontinuetoserveasadigitalresource,whichcanbe
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accessedviatheInternet,forthegrowingcollectionandassociatedmaterialsof
creativeresponse.
Image4.11isthehomescreenofthemobileapplicationwhereuserscanselecttheirpreferredlanguage—ArabicorEnglish.(left)Image4.12isanexampleofthepageavisitorwouldnavigatetoafterenteringthenumberofthephotographthey’dliketolearnmoreabout.Thepageshowsthephotograph,providesawrittendescription,andhasanaudiorecordingthatonecanlistentointheselectedlanguage(right).Themobileappcanbeaccessedatwww.lwfexhibition.ae,andrequirestheusertoenteraphotographnumberbetween1and392.TheaudiofilescontainedwithinthisapplicationarealsoincludedontheassociatedCD-ROM.
IalsopreparedtheLestWeForgetvideoandaudiocontentforthe
exhibition,andintegratedsomeofthedigitalmediacontentwithanalogdevices
intheinstallationspaces.Thebestexampleofthiswasworkingwithadigital
videorecording,takenbyastudentonherphoneoffofatelevision,and
transferringittoaVHStapethatcouldthenbeplayedonaVCRplayerconnected
toaveryoldtelevisionthatanEmiratifamilyhadintheirhome,thendonatedto
theexhibition.
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Image4.13ThisphotographisofanoldtelevisionsetdonatedbyanEmiratifamily.PlayingonlooponthetelevisionisanoldVHSofthehairtossdance,atraditionalEmiratidanceperformedatweddingsandcelebrations.
4.3.5 AdditionalContributions
AsanartistandoutsidertotheEmiraticommunityitisworthmentioning
howmyrolediffersherefromthepreviouscasestudy,andhowthisdifference
impactsthedevelopmentofcreativeresponseprojects,howtheyarereceived,
andtheirimpactonthepersonwhoiscreativelyresponding.
Inthiscasestudy,Emiratigirlsweretheartistsofcreativeresponse,
whileIservedasamentortothemduringtheprocess.Thisisofcoursedifferent
fromtheTheyyamcasestudy,whereIwasanoutsidertoKeezharawhowas
creativelyrespondingtoculturalmaterial.Oneimportantquestionbecomes
howdifferentitistohavesomeonethatdoesnothavedirectexperiencewiththe
artifacts,developingcreativeresponsestothem?OnelessonIlearnedthrough
theLWFprojectwashowdirectpersonalexperiencewithandmemoryof
artifactsoneisrespondingtocomplicatesthecreativeresponseprocess.The
creativeresponsesthatresultarericher,andhavegreatercapacitytoconnect
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membersofacommunitytotheirownculturalheritage,aswellasperhaps
connectoutsiderstoacommunity’sheritage.
HavingdistancefromtheculturalartifactsIwasrespondingtointhe
TheyyamprojectmeantIwasfocusedontheartisticelementsofmycreative
response.ThemeaningandculturalrelevanceoftherecordingsImadeofthe
festivalwereapartoftheresearchIconductedinordertocreativelyrespondto
thefestival.
TheEmiratigirlswhocreativelyrespondedtotheirfamilies’photographs,
broughttotheprocessafamiliaritywithandemotionalconnectiontothepeople
andobjectsinthephotographs.Theseconnectionsbroughtanemotionaldepth
totheircreativeresponse,andIwouldargueanimportantarchivalvaluetotheir
creativeresponses,thatcouldnototherwisebecontributed.
Thegirls’entrenchmentinthesocialvaluesandmoraysoftheir
communitymeantthattheircreativeresponsesweresometimesstifledwhen
creativeideaswereinconflictwithcommunityvalues.Thecreativeresponse
processwasfromtheonset,artisticallygovernedbyatacitunderstandingof
conformitytoandabidanceofEmiratisocialvalues.Withintheworkshopssome
ofthegirlsexpressedideasandvaluesthatdeviatedfromthebroader
communityvaluesandtheseideaswereincorporatedintotheircreative
responses.Forthesegirls,theprocessofdevelopingcreativeresponses,meant
grapplingwiththeircommunity’sidentity,particularlyaroundtensionsbetween
generations.Forthegirls,theartisticimpactofdevelopingcreativeresponses,
involvedaprocessofpersonalintrospectionwheretheyplacedtheirvaluesin
conversationwiththeirpeers.Astheyoftenworkedingroups,thegirlswould
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thenparticipateinthepushandpullofdefiningtheirindividualbeliefsystemsin
concertwiththeirpeers.
4.4 SectionFour:Discussion
4.4.1 CrowdsourcingCulturalHeritage
LestWeForgethasbuiltitscollectionthroughcrowdsourcing,an
approachthataimstogrowitscollectionthroughengagingmembersoftheUAE
tocontributephotographsandartifactsfromtheirfamilyalbumsandhomes.
“Crowdsourcingprojectsaredesignedtoachieveaspecificgoalthrough
audienceparticipation,evenifthatgoalisasbroadlydefinedas‘gather
informationfromthepublicaboutourcollection’”(Ridge,2014,p.4).LestWe
Forget’sspecificgoalistocollectphotographsandobjectsofhistoricaland
culturalrelevancethatspeaktothedevelopmentoftheUnitedArabEmirates,
from1950topresentday.Theprojecthasseveralsecondarygoalsthatpertain
tointergenerationalengagementandsharingwithintheEmiraticommunity.
Thesegoalshavebeenexploredthroughavarietyofapproachesandtechniques
mostofwhichinvolvethetransformationofcontentanduseoftechnological
tools.
InCrowdsourcingOurCulturalHeritage,editorMiaRidgespeaksofhow
participantsofcrowdsourcingprojectsoftenengageintransformingcontent:
Generally,thetasksperformedbytheparticipantsinculturalheritage
crowdsourcinginvolvetransformingcontentfromoneformattoanother
(forexample,transcribingtextormusicalnotation),describingartifacts
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(throughtags,classifications,structuredannotationsorfreetext),
synthesizingnewknowledge,orproducingcreativeartifacts(suchas
photographyordesign).(Ridge,2014,p.6).
TheparticipantsintheLestWeForgetprojecthavelargelybeeninvolved
inthetransformationofcontentthatRidgespeaksof.Theinternsand
volunteersfortheprojecthavebeeninvolvedinscanningandtaggingdonated
materialsfromcommunitymembers,aswellasproducingcreativeartifactsin
responsetomaterialsofculturalheritagedonatedtothecollection.TheLWF
projectintroducesinnovativewaysofengagingcommunitymembersinhelping
tocrowdsourcetheirculturalheritage.
Inparticular,LWFhascreatedagroupofcollege-agedambassadorswho
solicitparticipationfromtheoldergenerations.Thisapproachspecifically
targetsanolderdemographicofEmirati’s,thosewhoarenowintheir60s,70s,
and80sandwhowerebornatleastadecadebeforetheunificationoftheTrucial
States.Thisdemographicofthecommunityisdifficulttoaccessthrough
traditionaloutreachandweb-basedcommunications,whiletheyarealsothe
generationsthathavethemostcomprehensiveknowledgeandmemoryofthe
growthofthenationandthetransformationoftheEmiraticommunity.By
activatingthesecollege-agedstudentambassadorstogatherstories,
photographs,andartifactsfromtheirfamilies,specificallytheirparentsand
grandparents,LWFiscrowdsourcingculturalheritagebywayofconducting
outreachtotheoldergenerationsofthecommunitythroughtheiryounger
familymembers.Thisapproachfostersanintergenerationaldialoguethat
accessesmembersofthecommunity,artifacts,andmemoriesofculturalheritage
thatmaynototherwisebecontributedtothecollection.
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Definingcrowdsourcingisdifficultasthepracticehastakenondiffering
objectivesinavarietyoffields,makingthedatainvolvedveryuniqueand
difficulttocompare.Thoughinitiallymentionedanddevelopedwithina
businesscontext,crowdsourcingquicklyspreadtotheacademicarena,making
wayforacademiccrowdsourcing,popularlyusedinthehumanitiesandsciences,
asameansforthecreationoflarge-scaledigitalresourcesforrawdata(Dunn
andHedges,2014,p.232).Galleries,libraries,archives,andmuseums(GLAM)
havebecomeidentifiedasaseparatecategorywithinhumanitiescrowdsourcing
practices,duetotheorganizationbeinginherentlypublicfacing.
WithintheGLAMdomaintherearedifferentcrowdsourcingtypologies,
includingsimplecrowdsourcinggames,whichwereproposedbyMiaRidge.“In
thistypology,theproposedcategoriesare:Tagging;Debunking(i.e.,
correcting/reviewingcontent);Recordingapersonalstory;Linking;Stating
preferences;Categorizing;andCreativeresponses.”Theproposedcategories
pertaintothetypeofactivitiesacrowdisaskedtoconduct.TheWarehouse421
exhibitionlayoutinandofitselfprovidesaframeworkforvariedtypological
approachestocrowdsourcing,throughanumberofinstallationbased
contributionmoments,andparticipatoryengagementspaces.Oneoftheseisthe
openspaceonthemainexhibitionfloor,whichengagestheaudienceor“crowd”
ingamesandparticipatoryactivitiestowardcontribution.SimilartoRidge’s
categoricalapproach,givenabove,LWFusedcategoriesandcollection-based
themes,whichwerederivedfromthetypesofphotographsthatpeople
contributedtothecollection,todelineatecategoriesofthebook,andresulting
exhibition.Thesecategoriesinclude“Telephones,”“Travel,”“Motary,”“Eid,”
“SheikhZayed,”andmanymore.Twoofthemaintablesintheopenareaofthe
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exhibitionfeatureinteractivegameswhereusersareengagedaroundthe
contentoftheexhibitionthroughthesecategories.
Thefirsttablefeaturesalargescreeninthecenter,withfourindividual
screens,oneateachcornerofthetable.Thelargescreenisbrokeninto
quadrants,andoncethegamebegins,thescreenwillshoweachplayeracluster
ofphotographs.Thenontheirindividualscreen,theplayerispromptedtoselect
onecategoryfromalistoffourthatisinclusiveofallofthephotographs
showcasedonthemainscreen.Onceeachplayerchoosestheywillbetoldifthey
werecorrectorincorrect,andtheiranswerwillbeassignedacertainnumberof
points.Whenthegameisovertheplayerwiththehighestscorewins.
Thesecondtablefeaturesonelargetouchscreeninthemiddleofatable,
andnexttoitamovingcarouselwithdifferentcolorcards,eachsittingwithinits
ownslot.Thecardsareclusteredintocategoriesdifferentiatedbycolors.For
example,cardsthatspecifygeographieswithintheUAEaregreen,whilecards
thatspecifyyearsareyellow.Eachcardhasatitleprintedonit,forexamplea
decade,likethe1980sor1990s,oracitylikeAbuDhabiorSharjah.Someofthe
othercardshavetitleswithcategoriesormetadatathatwereusedinthetagging
ofthephotographiccollection,like“work,”“cars,”or“women.”Thevisitor
choosesacard,let’ssays“AbuDhabi,”andplacesitonthescreen,whichresults
inapileofphotographsautomaticallycollectedonthescreen,whicharepulled
fromthoseinthecollectionthathavebeentaggedwith“AbuDhabi”inthe
metadata.Theusercanthentoucheachphotographtopullitoutofthepile,
enlargeit,orgetadditionalinformationaboutitbytouchingonaletter“i,”inthe
toprighthandcornerofthepicture,whichpopsoutaninformationwindow.
Theusercantakeasecondcardfromthecarousel,let’ssay“women,”andplace
191
thatcardnexttothefirstonthescreen.Theresultingpileofphotographswillbe
ofwomeninAbuDhabi.Atpresentthisparticularcombinationwillshowcasea
verysmallcollectionofimages,asthereareveryfewimagesthathavebeen
donatedtothecollectionofwomeninAbuDhabi.Thisprocesscanberepeated
withanynumberofcategoriesofinterest.Inadditiontobeingpopularamong
localfamilieswhowanttoseefamiliarmomentsintime,thegameisoftenused
asanopportunitytoshowcasewhereinthecollectionthereareveryfew
photographs,toinspirevisitorstocontributefromtheirfamilyalbums.
4.4.2 GenderandRepresentation
Therewereinitiallynovocalrepresentationsofmenorolderwomeninthe
digitalnarratives,asthegirlsweretheonesrecordingthestories.Thenthegirls
decidedtorecordmembersoftheirfamilywhowerenotintheirdemographic,
readingthenarrativestheyhadwritten.Therewerebrothersandcousinsand
fatherswhoagreed,whilemanyofthemothersandgrandmothersdidnot
choosetoparticipate.
Onestudentwasabletogethermothertocreateanumberofrecordings
forthetelephoneroom.Thestudentandhermotherrecordedeightornine
conversationsthatshemighthavehadonthephonewithfriends,parents,or
children.Therecordingswereunfortunatelynotacceptedbythefoundationand
werecutfromtheexhibit.Thelayersofresistancearecomplicatedand
sometimesdifficulttounderstand,asthefinalsayoftencomesfromtheRoyal
Familyofthecountry.Thisistosaythatsometimeswhenindividualmembers
ofthecommunitychoosetoshareorparticipate,theircontributionsmaynotbe
includedinthecollection,iftheideasorstoriestheysharearedeemed
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problematicrepresentationsoftheEmiraticulture.Byproblematic
representations,Imeanarepresentationthatiscontrarytothewaythe
governmentofthecountryperceivestheiridentityorhistory.WithintheLest
WeForgetproject,thedecisionthatsomethingisproblematicwillcomefromor
withthesupportoftheheadofthefoundation.Ifthemotherhadcontributeda
photographofherselfonthephone,tothecollection,thephotographwouldbe
includedinthebookandthearchive.
Therewereotherworkshopsthatthegirlsparticipatedinaswell.There
wasawonderfulworkshoponfilmmakingthattaughtthegirlsbasicsof
storyboarding,scriptwriting,andcameratechniques.LestWeForget,was
approachedtoparticipateinthedevelopmentofatelevisionadvertisementfor
theUAE’s43rdNationalDay.Thegirlsworkedonthepieceinthevideo
workshop,wheretheyusedarchivalphotographsfromNationalDayspast,
overlaidwithanacappellarecordingofthemsingingtheNationalAnthemofthe
UAE.(SeedatafileofLWFNationalAnthem.wav)Allofthegirlsparticipatedin
thisprocess,whichdidnotrequireanyvisualrepresentationofthem,andwhere
theywereabletosingaspartofacollectivevoice.
Astheprojectgrewtherewerealsomembersoftheroyalfamilywho
openlycontributedphotographsofSheikhZayedfromtheirfamilyalbums,as
wellasafewofhisfamily,includinghissonSheikhKhalifa,thecurrentpresident
andruleroftheUAE.Thesetypesofgesturesholdgreatweightwithinthe
Emiraticommunityandinmanywayspavethewayforothermembersofthe
communitytofeelcomfortablecontributingtothecollectionandthearchive.
193
4.4.3 LanguageandRepresentation
ThegirlsdecideditwascriticaltorecordanEnglishandArabicversionof
theirnarrativeforeachphotograph,asthiswouldallowthemtoreachabroader
audience.Therewasalsoagreementthatsomeoftheoldergenerationof
EmiratismaynotbecomfortablewiththeEnglishrecordings,whilesomeofthe
youngergenerationsofEmiratismaybelesscomfortablewiththeArabic
recordings.TheprocessofnegotiatinghowtoarticulatethesameideainArabic
andEnglishwasalsoafrequenttopicofconversationduringtheworkshops.The
girlswouldplaybacktheirrecordinginArabicandinEnglish,andthegroup
woulddiscusswhetherornottherewasasymmetrymaintainedinthemeaning
ofbothrecordings,andifthewaythingswereexpressedinbothsoundedand
feltright.ArecordingthatsoundedgoodinArabicoftendidnottranslatewell
intoEnglishandviceversa.Asaresult,mostofthegirls’recordingsdidnot
striveforadirecttranslationfromArabictoEnglishorEnglishtoArabic,but
rathertheydevelopedtwosimilarnarrativesthatinformedoneanother,andfelt
appropriateforthetwolanguages.Oneofthebestexamplesofthiscomesfrom
photograph319,ofanoldmanholdingagunwhilesittingonamajlis,a
traditionallowlivingroom–likeseatingareaforcommunitymeetingsand
entertainingguests.Thebackofthephotographwasinscribedwithapoem
writtenonitinArabic,whichtranslatesinEnglish:.“Iamgettingold,mygray
hairsarelaughingatme.Allshipsaresailing,onlymineisn’t.Myshipandmy
lover’sshipareloadedwithpassion.Iwilldumpmyload,lestmysecretis
exposed.”ThegirlsdecidedtoreadthepoemintheArabicrecording,asit
soundedpoetic,andtheyfeltitcapturedahistoricalcomponentthathelpedto
situatethephotographwithinatimeperiodinwhichfishingwasaformof
194
livelihood,andhand-writinglettersandnoteswaspopular.However,giventhe
waythepoemtranslatesinEnglish,thegirlsfeltthattheEnglishrecordingthat
accompaniedthephotographshouldnotincludelanguagefromthepoemand
insteadtheycreatedanarrativethatcorrelatedvisualelementsofthe
photograph,withemotionalelementsthatwerehighlightedinthepoem.The
recordingwasasonicdescriptionoftheman’scharacterandstrength.
Evenwithintheinternshipgroup,thegirlshadvaryingcomfortlevels
withArabicandEnglish,andwithinArabic—withtheEmiratidialectofArabic
versusFusha,ModernStandardArabic.Manyofthegirlsidentifiedthemselves
aseithermorecomfortablerecordingtheirvoiceinArabicorEnglish,andwould
thenpartnerwithsomeonewhowasstrongintheotherlanguage.Somegirls
werecomfortablerecordinginbothlanguages,butfewwerecomfortablewith
bothEmiratiDialectArabicandEnglish.
Anothernegotiationwithinthegroupwaswhetherornottheyshould
recordtheArabicnarrativesinFusha,sothatthematerialwasaccessibletoa
wideraudiencethroughouttheArabic-speakingworld,orwhethertheyshould
recordtheArabicintheEmiratidialectsothatitwasmoretruetotheirculture
andmorelinguisticallyaccuratetohowthethoughtsandideaswouldbe
expressed.Intheinstanceswherethegirlsinterviewedolderfamilymembers,
therecordingswereoftenintheEmiratidialect.Ayoungermemberofthefamily
orafriendofthesamesexwouldrecordtheEnglishversionsofthesenarratives.
WhenrecordingsintheEmiratidialectsweresharedwiththegroupduring
critique,therewasstrongconsensusthattheEmiratinarrativeshadastronger
presenceandfeltmoreaccuratelydescriptiveofthephotographs.Asaresult,the
195
ArabicnarrativesintheexhibitionalternatebetweenFushaandtheEmirati
dialectaformofKhaleejiorGulfArabic.
4.4.4 Censorship
Iamreluctantwithinthisdissertationtodiscussthematterofcensorship
intoogreatadepth,inlargepartduetoculturalsensitivityfortheUAE
Government,theEmiraticommunity,andtheLWFproject.Havinglivedinthe
UAEandworkedcloselywiththeproject,Ihaveadoptedanunderstandingofthe
valuesaroundprivatematters,inparticularthematterofEmiratiidentityand
citizenship.Iamchoosingtorespectthecommunitybynotdelvingtoodeeply
intosomeofthesedivideswithinthecommunity.
AsIwillfurtherexplorelaterinthissectionthematterofEmiratiidentity
issomewhatcomplicatedandsensitive.TheLestWeForgetprojectaimsto
documentandcollectvernacularphotographsfromEmiratifamilies,aswellas
creativeresponsetothesephotographs,whichrequirescuratorialdecisions
regardinghowEmiratiidentityisdefined.Whereasone’snationalidentityis
oftendefinedbycitizenshipthiscriteriaiscomplicatedintheUAE,wherea
personcanspendtheirentirelife,frombirth,intheUAEandneverbecomea
citizen.AdditionallyIfeelthattheLWFprojectisnavigatinghowbestto
documentandpreserveEmiraticulturethatisderivedfromtribalBedouin
communitiesnativetothedesert,fromthosecommunitiesthathavemore
recently(inthelast50years)becomethenumericmajoritywithintheUAE,
includingtheArab,WesternEuropean,andNorthAmericanexpatriate
communities,inadditiontothelargemigrantlaborcommunityfromSouthand
196
SouthEastAsiathathasbuiltmuchofthecountriesinfrastructure.Itis
impossibleintheUAEtodrawclearbarriersbetweengroupsofpeoplefor
collectionspurposesandthis,Ibelieve,isattheheartofmuchofthecensorship
withintheLWFproject.
Animportantlayertothisprojectisacritiqueontheoverallcurationof
theLestWeForgetCollectionandtheassociatedexhibitions,books,andweb
presence.Michelecuratestheexhibitionsandthebookwithinputfromthegirls
andothercollaborators;however,theSheikhaSalamabintHamdanAlNahyan
Foundationmakesthefinaldecisionsaboutcontent.Thefoundationfundsand
putstheirstampontheproject,andasaresult,thereareaspectsofLestWe
ForgetthathavebeenputforwardbyMicheleandthegirlsthatareaugmented
orremovedbeforetheyareseenbythepublic.Thesedecisionsseemtobemade
aboutmaterialthatisconsideredtobearepresentationofEmiraticulturethatis
notsupportedbythefoundation.
Thegirls,likemyself,havelearnedanimmenseamountthroughthis
project,includingwaystoengageaboutfamilyandcommunityhistory,howthe
UAEisseenbytheoutsideworld,andwaystheirgovernmentparticipatesin
sculptingthatimage.Forthosestudentswhosefamiliestravelinternationally
often,involvementwithLWFofferedanewapproachtoengagingwithan
internationalcommunitythatisrootedinsharingone’sculturalheritageinan
internationalcontext.
Workingwithinapeergroup,thegirlslearnedtonavigatethevaluesand
parametersoftheircommunity,whileworkingwithinthemtocreativelywork
outsideofthem.Theirprocessofsharingphotographsanddeveloping
197
narrativesaboutthosefamilymemorieshasfosteredtheirprocessofrecognizing
howtoself-censor,andhowtosharegenuinely,andwhatthatmeans.
Thebestillustrationofthisisastudentwhowasheavilyinvolvedinthe
project,whoselatefatherwasEmiratiandwhosemotherisEgyptian.Her
mother’sstorywasfeaturedasoneofthreevignettesinanintergenerational
femalefilminstallation.Thecritiqueofthefilmbythefoundationwasthatthe
narrativedidnotfocusenoughonherdeceasedEmiratihusbandandfocusedtoo
muchonherEgyptianheritage.Thefilmwasre-editedsothatthenarrativeof
thestoryfocusedmoreontheEmiratesandherhusband.Whileneitherversion
ofthefilmwaseditedbythestudent,butratherbyaprofessionalvideoteam
whoshotandeditedthefilm,thefilmingandeditinghappenedincollaboration
withLWF.Thesubjectsofthefilmwerenotinvolvedinthedecisiontore-edit
thefilm.WhenIaskedthestudenthowhermotherfeltabouttheseverelyedited
secondcut,shesaidhermotherwashappythatthefilmfocusedonherfather.
Duringtheexhibition’sopeningweekendthisstudentwasstationedinthe
screeninginstallationroom.Whilecatchingupwithher,Iaskedherhowshefelt
abouttheeditingprocessofhermother’sfilm.Shesaidshehadheardaboutit
andfeltthatitmadesensesincetheexhibitionwasfocusedonEmiraticulture,
andwashappyforherfathertobebroughtintoitmore.Shesaidhermother
hadseentheinstallationandcriedthroughoutthefilmoutofsadnessforher
husband,soshelefttheexhibitionbecauseshedidn’twanttobeseencrying.
Theworkshopsprovidedaspacetodiscussthosethingsthatarenot
allowedinthepublicrepresentationsofUAEhistory.Forexample,discussions
ofhow,priortothediscoveryofoilandunificationoftheTrucialStates,theUAE
grantedcitizenshiptoawidevarietyofexpatriateswhochosetosettleinthe
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country.Especiallybecausemanynuancedexperiencesareleftoutofthatpublic
history,itisimportanttogivevoiceandspaceforthatkindofdiscussionto
happeninthecollectivespace,wherethegirlsspokewithoneanother.One
identifiedoutcomeofengagingthegirlsintheprocessofcreativeresponseis
thattheworkshopsbecameaspacethatlegitimizedtheirthoughtsandideas
abouttheirrelationshiptoself,toculture,tofamily,andtocommunity.The
workshopswereaplacewherethegirlssomewhatovercameself-censorship.
However,whilethegirlsmovedintoaplaceofacceptanceofeachother’swork,
ideas,anddiscussionsbehindcloseddoors,thesewereoftenmaskedbymore
sociallyacceptablebeliefswhenthegirlswerebackinthegeneralpublic.
4.4.5 CreativeResponseandtheLivingArchive
Creativereflectionwasakeytoolinthecollaborationprocesswiththe
girls,anditallowedforadifferentpointofaccesstothecommunity.Whereas
workingwithamoretraditionalarchivalapproachthatfavorsacademic
languageandcontentmightbeoff-puttinginthiscontext,theconversationsthat
resultedfromthecreativecollaborativeprocesswereopenandinclusive.
Thegirls’intheseworkshopswerebetween18and27yearsofage.Asa
resulttheirpointofreferenceforlifeandtheworldaroundthemisrootedin
digitalmediaculture.Theyaretechnologynatives,wholooktowardtheir
phones,theircomputers,andothertechnologiestonavigatetheworld.Weare
lookingatphotographsoftheirparentsandgrandparentsgenerationdialing
rotarytelephonesandusingrecordplayersatatimewherenoneofthemodern
technologyoftheirtimeexisted.Thegirlsareabletointerfacewiththeideasof
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antiquity,theirfamilymembers,andthenotionoftheirhistorybyrespondingto
thephotographsusingtoolsandtechnologiesthatarefamiliarandintuitiveto
them,ratherthanaskingthemtoconnectwiththingsthatareantiquated.Thisis
ahugepartofengagingtheirgeneration.Frommyuniqueroleasbothworkshop
developerandtechnologyadviser,Icouldseehowengagingagenerationaround
antiquatedmaterialsabouttheirowncommunityandfamilythroughtheuseof
digitalmediatechnologiesmadetheyoungergenerationmoreinterestedin
thoseantiquities,andallowedthemadifferententrypointofaccesstotheir
familyandcommunityhistoryandmemory.
Micheletalksaboutexperiencingpushbackfromherstudentswhenshe
begantheprojectinherclassroomatZayedUniversity.Thisresistancecame
fromthestudentswhocouldnotunderstandwhyanyonewouldcareabouttheir
familyphotographsandhistory,orwhyitmattered.Thislikelycomesfroma
nationalmentalityof“outwiththeoldandinwiththenew,”whichhasstemmed
fromtherapidgrowththathasledtotheintroductionofnewdevicesand
comfortswithregularity.
Asaresult,thestudentsoftodaydon’thaveastrongsenseofwhythere
wouldbevalueinphotographsorpersonalhistoriesthathelptodocumentthis
transitionandmodernization.Forexample,afamilyphotographofastudent’s
parentsinanoldcarinthe1970sinthemiddleofthedesert,wherea50-story
skyscrapernowsits,didnotresonateatfirstasbeingofvalueorinterest.Having
thesestudentsengagewiththeoldergenerationsoftheirfamily,andhearingthe
retellingofthestoriesbehindtheimages,wastheprocesstheybeganwith.
AsMicheledescribedit,theturningpointcamewhenthegirlsbrought
theseinterviewsandstoriesbacktoacommunityoftheirpeersintheclassroom.
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Thiswasthepointwheretherewasnoticeableoverlapinexperienceandstories,
andwherethestudentsbegantorecognizethesimilaritiesintheexperiencesof
theirparents’generation.Oneexamplethatstruckmewaswhenthestudents
realizedthatthereweremanyphotosofyoungmeninthe1980swithAfros,in
theUAEaswellasinphotographsthatweretakenontripsabroad.Theypulled
outdiscernablesocial,cultural,andeconomicreferencesthatrevealed
themselvesthroughthesephotographs.Idon’tthinktheywouldhaveengaged
withthesearchivalmaterialsinthesamewayiftheywerenotengagingwiththe
materialsthroughaprocessofcreativeresponse.Thesegirlsconducted
interviewswiththeirfamilymembers,whichbecamedigitalnarratives,andthey
juxtaposedarchivalphotographsofbuildingsinthecitywiththosetheyhad
takeninpresentday,creatingacompositeoftheoldphotographandanew
photofromthesameplace.
Ultimatelyitwasthepowerofcommunalresponseastheycametogether
andsharedtheirstoriesthathelpedthestudentsrealizetherewassomething
powerfulintheirhistory.GettingtothispointwaschallengingandIwould
arguegreatlyfacilitatedbythefactthattheywerebeingaskedtoexploretheir
ownheritagethroughaprocessofresponsethatallowedthemtoengagewith
archivalmaterialsthroughdigitalmediatechnologies.
4.4.6 EthicalResponsibilityandCollaboration
AlloftheworkthatItalkaboutinthisdissertationistiedtocommunities
thatarenotmyown.Oneofthechallengesinherentintryingtopartnerwitha
communityisfiguringouthowtodosowell.WhenIlivedinIndia,Iworkedfor
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anNGOwhereIlearnedthatacrucialpartofmyjobwasnavigatingrelationships
withthecommunityandtheindividualswithinit.IntheUAE,thesame
considerationsapplywhenworkingonacommunitybasedprojectlikeLestWe
Forget.Asafemalecollaboratingwithanall-femalegroup,Ialreadyhadgreater
accessthanamalewouldhave.InthebeginningIwasverymuchanoutsider,
butovertime,throughmyworkwiththegirls,wedevelopedamorecasual
relationshipthatfeltasthoughittranscendedsomeboundaries.
Asanartistandethnographer,Ifindmyselfspendingagooddealoftime
consideringtheethicalimplicationsofmywork.Thequestionofethicalconduct
isconsideredbyethnographersacrossdisciplines,andrightfullyconsidersthe
roletheresearcherplaysinthetransmissionandpreservationofthatwhichthey
areresearching.Ethicalconductdoesnotcomeupinthesamewayorasoften
withintheartscommunity,thoughitisraisedasaconcern.Ibelievethisisin
partduetoafocusonthediscourseoncreativelicenseandfreedom,whichhas
theaimofprotectingartists’abilitytoengagewithsubjectmatter,ratherthan
limitingit.
Workthatstraddlesthesetwodisciplinesisthereforelackingaclearset
ofinstructionsormethodforhowtofollowtheruleswhiledoingthework.In
myowncreativeworkIaimtodevelopmaterialthatisrespectedand
understoodbothwithinandoutsideoftheacademy.Iattempttomediatethe
challengesraisedaboutculturalappropriationbycollaboratingwithlocal
partnerswhoarecreatingtheirownworkfrommyresearchmaterials.The
worktheyarecreatingutilizesmyresearchbutisinnowaymediatedbyme.
InmyworkwithLestWeForget,alloftherecordingsthatwerecreated
havebeenincollaborationwiththeEmiratiinternsandMichele.Oneoutcomeof
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thiscollaborationwasadiscussiononhowbesttobuildacollectionofrecorded
stories,interviews,andmemoriesfortheirarchive.Irecordedinterviewswith
manyoftheinterns,andinsomecasestheirfamilymembers,butIdidnot
conducttheinterviews.Idevelopedandfacilitatedtheworkshopswhereall
recordedmaterialwasplayed,discussed,andrevised,andImadesuggestions
throughout,basedonmyownexperiencesandopinionsaboutthematerial.
Howevertheinternswereempoweredtomakedecisionsabouttheresulting
contentandhowitissharedbacktotheircommunity.Notdissimilartoteaching
studentsinaclassroom,thecollaborationwithLestWeForgetwasalwaysan
exchangeofknowledgeandinformationbetweenallparties.Ididalsoshare
manyofmyownrecordingsandcreativeprojectswiththeinternsasabasisof
referenceandtogivethemanideaofthetypeofworkImakeandinwhichIam
interested.
4.5 SectionFive:Conclusion
4.5.1 Activism
ThroughtheprocessoftheirinvolvementintheLestWeForgetProject
manyoftheEmiratigirlsbecameactivistsforthepreservationoftheirfamily
stories.Theybecametheinterviewers,themediators,andinsomecases,the
storytellersthemselves.Thesegirlshavehelpedtotellthesoon-to-be-forgotten
memoriesoftheirgrandparents,thereflectionsfromagenerationwhowere
bornintoaBedouinlifestyleandwhoarenowlivinginafastpaced,skyscraper-
speckled,globalizing,financiallythriving,oil-richcountry,probablydrivinga
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high-endcar,andbankinginanationalbank.Thememoriestheyshareareof
momentsthathaveoccurredthroughoutthesedramaticallycontrastedworlds,
bothofwhichexistedonthesamelandbutchangedoverthecourseoftheir
lives.MuchoftheknowledgeandhistoryoftheTrucialStates,andtheUAE’s
historypre-unification,isthreatenedtobelostwhenthisgenerationpasseson.
ItisforthisreasonthattheUAEgovernmenthasbeguntosupportprojectslike
LestWeForgetthatarefocusedoncollectingandpreservingCulturalHeritageof
theUAE.The2016QasrAlHosnFestival,alargecommunity-basedfestivalwith
widereachandengagementfromthecommunity,featuredscreeningsofold
videosanddisplaysofhistoricphotographsfromthegovernmentandpetrol
companies,supportedbytheNationalCenterforDocumentationandResearch.
4.5.2 TheArchive
Oneaimofmyresearchistobetterunderstandtheoutcomesofthe
developmentofthecreativeresponsestothearchivalmaterials.Inparticular,
thisworkaimstoidentifywaysinwhichthedevelopmentofcreativework
supportsthepreservationofkeyculturaltraditionsandpracticesand
contributestothearchivingandsustainabilityofatradition,bymakingit
relevantintoday’srapidlyshifting,cosmopolitan,andvirtualworld.
TheoralhistoriesrecordedbytheLestWeForgetinternsaredigital
artifactsthatexistoncomputers,onwebsites,inanexhibition;theycouldeven
besomebody’sringtonefortheirphone.Andwhenthepersonwhohasthat
ringtoneridesthebusorthemetro,andwhentheirphonerings,itispossible
thatthedigitalartifactofsomeone’soralhistorymightbecomeanotherperson’s
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overheard-on-the-subwaystory,whichtheypostasastatusupdatetotheir300
friendsonFacebook,oneofwhommightsharethestorywithafriendathappy
hour,whomightwriteaboutitinanarticleorbooktheyaretryingtopublish.
Whetherthedigitalartifactremainsinitsdigitalformatorbecomestranslated
intoananalogformatlikewrittentext,asinthehypotheticalexampleabove,its
digitalnaturesupportsitsmovementbetweentheanaloganddigitalworlds,
enhancingaccessandvisibilitytothematerial,makingitrelevantintoday’s
rapidlyshifting,cosmopolitan,andvirtualworld.
TheongoingdevelopmentoftheLWFcollectionhappensinavarietyof
ways,manyofwhicharegrassroots,includingdevelopmentthroughstudent
contributionsintheclassroom,bywordofmouth,throughcommunity
discussionsandworkshops,andbycreatingopportunitieslikeinternshipsthat
invitestudentsfromthecommunityintotheproject.Thesedifferentapproaches
tobuildingthecollectionareeachimportantontheirownandserveas
scaffoldingforoneanother,inthatthereareorganicintersectionsthatare
createdbytheseparticularcollectionsapproaches.Forexample,studentsbegin
torecognizethatthereisabroadercontextfortheirownfamilyhistory,which
occursthroughlearningaboutthehistoryoftheirclassmate’sfamilies,their
grandparents,andtheirnation.Utilizingdigitalmediatechniquesand
approachestodevelopthecollectionofphotographs,includingdigitalimage
restorationandmanipulation,digitalaudiorecording,anddigitalfilm
production,allowedstudentstoconnectwiththematerialandtheprojectmore
intuitively.Perhapsthisistiedtothecollege-agedemographicoftheUAEbeing
comprisedofdigitalnatives,forwhomcomputers,digitalphotography,film,and
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sonicmanipulationareallintuitiveformsofexpression,andafamiliarmeansof
communication.
4.5.3 PreservingCulturalPracticesandTraditions
TheLWFprojectisintentionallyintergenerational.InitiallytheEmirati
studentcommunitythatMicheletaughtwasnotinterestedinsharingtheir
storiesandfamilyphotographs,andthroughherteachingandcollaborationwith
thegirls,fouryearslaterthesesamegirlsandtheirfamiliesaresharingtheir
photographsandstoriesinapublicexhibitionaswellasinabookthattheyare
proudof.Inthiscommunitythatprizesprivacy,LWFwasabletoengagepeople
intheir60sand70sinwantingtosharetheirstoriesandmakepublictheir
history.Theprocessofworkingwiththeyoungergenerationsofstudentsto
developcreativeresponsestophotographsbecameaboutconnecting
generations.Itwasaboutusingcreativityasatooltounpacktheprivacyrelated
inclinationsofherstudentswhodidnotwanttosharetheirfamilyhistory.
Therewerealsomanyfamilystoriesthatwereuncoveredthroughrecorded
interviews.Thestudentswouldsitwithafamilymemberandinquireabouta
particularphotographandrecordtheresultingconversation,whichtheywould
thentranscribe.Oftenstudentswouldchoosetouseeditedversionsofthe
recordedinterviewasasonicelementofthecollection.Manystudentsfound
familyphotographsoftheirfathersorbrotherscampingandhuntinginthe
desert,photographsofbirthdaycelebrations,membersoftheirfamilywith
leadersofthecountry,aswellasimagesofAbuDhabibeforethelarge
developmentboom.
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TherewerephotographsthatrepresentedwhatholidayslikeEidlooked
likewithinaparticularfamily,andthestylesofdressingfromdifferentperiods
oftime.ThesephotographsrevealedanAbuDhabithatthestudentswerenot
alivetowitness,butthattheylearnedaboutthroughinterviews.Allofthese
storiesandphotographs,unlessdeemedprivatebystudents,weresharedwith
theotherstudents,furtheringtheircollectiveknowledgeabouttheirowncity,
theircountry,andtheircollectiveculturalhistory.
Havingstudentscollectphotographsandstoriesfromtheirfamilieshas
proventobeawayfortheyoungergenerationstoconnectwithandlearnabout
theirfamilyandculturalhistory.Howeverdoingthistypeofcollectionwork
withinagroupoftheirpeersallowsthestudentstotakeanownershipand
interestoverthathistory,thatmaynotoccurbyspeakingtofamilymembersor
lookingatfamilyphotographs.Collectivelydevelopingacollectionofvernacular
photographsbringsintotheclassroommanystories,histories,andquestions
aboutasharedcultural,social,geographicandnationalhistorythatthestudents
thenbecameinterestedinexploring.
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5 SonicStoryboarding:TheCalltoPrayer
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5.SonicStoryboard:TheCalltoPrayer
5.1 SectionOne:Introduction
5.1.1 Introduction
SonicStoryboardisaprojectdevelopedfromrecordingsoftheIslamic
calltoprayer,alsoknownastheadhan,azhan,ornamaaz,dependingonwhere
youlive,frommosquesaroundtheworld.Iamfascinatedbyandstudied
religionincollege.IwasraisedJewishandmyfatherwasraisedMuslimfroma
familyofEastAsianIslamicdescent.FrommytimelivinginIndia,Ibecame
fascinatedbyreligiousrecitation:ifyoulookatHinduweddingsongs,Jewish
Trope,andIslamicreadingsfromtheQur’an,thesoniccadenceseemsintuitively
similartome.Yet[Westerners]oftenthinkoftheIslamiccalltoprayeras
something“other,”somethingforeign,andassingular.Iwantedtocreatea
projectthatshowedthenuancesamongcallstoprayer,andtofigureouthowto
sharethatwithpeopletowardtheendofhelpingtobreakdownassumptionsof
Islam.
Theideaforthisprojectwastocaptureawiderangeofadhansfrom
aroundtheworldandplaythembackininteractiveenvironmentstohelpbring
greaterawarenessaboutthenuanceanddiversityofthecalltoprayer.I
capturedrecordingsofthecalltoprayeratmosquesindifferentplaces,which
wasfascinatingbecauseitmeantmeetingandtalkingtopeopleatoraroundthe
mosques.Gatheringtheserecordingsindependentlyisatimeconsumingand
expensivetask,whichleadtocollaborationwithothersthroughcrowdsourcing
andsocialmediasites,aswellasfriendsandcolleagueswhowerehappyto
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recordtheadhanduringtheirtravels.Ithendevelopedtwodifferentcreative
projectsfromtheserecordings.
Thefirstprojectisasoundmapthatlivesonlineat
www.dianachester.com/audiomap.html.Itisamapoftheworldfueledby
GoogleMaps,withlittlemarkersplacedwherethecallstoprayerwererecorded.
Ifyouclickonthemarkers,youcanseeapictureofthemosqueandlistentothe
calltoprayer.Theideaissimple;itgeo-locatestheseadhansandallowspeople
tolistentoacallbasedongeography,fromNorthCarolinatoIstanbul,andTunis
toSingapore,thelistenercanhearthedifferencesbetweentheadhans.
Thesecondprojectisanexhibitionwithacompletelydifferentaim.The
exhibitionunintentionallyreachedanaudiencewhowerelargelynon-Muslims,
butwholivedinAbuDhabiandweresurroundedbyIslam.Thedemographic
makeupoftheaudiencewasdueinlargeparttothemakeupoftheartistic
communityIwasapartof,withintheuniversitywhereItaughtinAbuDhabi,
andwasalsotiedtothecomplexityofthesubjectmatter.Thisistosaythatina
MuslimcountryliketheUAE,itiscomplicatedtohaveasonicexhibitionwhich
playstheadhanoutsideoftheappropriateprayertimes,andwhichmanipulates
theadhan.Forthesereasonstheexhibitionwasmoreofaprivateaffair,by
invitationonlyandwashostedatagalleryspacewithinaprivateresidence,
ratherthaninapublicartspace.
Theexhibitionwasreactiveinnature,aninteractiveapproachwhere
people’smovementinaspacecausedareactionfromtheexhibition.Thedesign
oftheexhibitusedsixofthecallstoprayerandassociatedphotographsofthe
mosques,wheretherecordingsweretaken.Thephotographsofthemosques
werehungonthewall,andwhenpeoplemovedamongthephotographsofthe
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mosques,ultrasonicsensorssensedtheirmovements,triggeringchangesinthe
sonicplaybackofthecalltoprayerfromthecorrespondingmosque.
5.1.2 TheHistoryoftheAdhan InalmosteveryIslamiccommunitytodaytheloudspeaker,radioand
televisionhavebecomeessentialinthetraditionalcalltoprayer,a remarkablejuxtapositionofhighmediatechnologyandconservative religiouspractice.Theloudspeakersimplyextendedthepurposeofthe minaret,thattoweringsectionofthemosquewherethereciter traditionallystoodtoperformthecalltoprayer,hisvoicereachingthe surroundingIslamiccommunity.
—ToongSoonLee(2009)
TheIslamiccalltoprayerisrecitedfivetimesdailyasawayofsignifying
theprayertimestoMuslims.Dependingontheindividualinterpretation,the
prayertimescansignifywhenyoushouldpray,orinsomecasesthetime
betweeneachcallservesasawindowwhenoneshouldpray.Thefiveprayer
timesspanfrombeforethesunrisestoafterthesunsets,andaredictatedbythe
sun,makingthetimingsdifferentdaily.ThefiveprayertimesareknownasFajr,
theearlymorningprayer(beforesunrise);Dhuhr,thenoontimeprayer;Asr,the
late-afternoonprayer;Maghrib,theafter-sunsetprayer;andIsha,thelate-
eveningprayer.
Traditionallythecalltoprayerservedasa“soundmark”(Lee,1999,p.
87),whichmarkedtheboundaryofagivenIslamiccommunity,basedonthe
areaoverwhichthemuezzin’svoicecouldbeheard.Whereastraditionallythe
muezzin,orreciteroftheadhan,wouldrecitetheadhanfromthetopofthe
minaret,inmoderndaythemuezzinrecitestheadhanintoamicrophonethatis
broadcastoverloudspeakers,affixedtotheminaretsofthemosquefacing
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outward,towardthecommunity.Inurbancontexts,wherepeoplemaynotlive
orworkwithinearshotofamosque,peopleusetechnologicalaidestohelpthem
keeptrackofprayertimes,likearadioadhan,anadhanalarmclock,orasmart
phoneappwiththecalltoprayertimesforeachcityaroundtheworld.
Theadhanisbeautifultolistento,butisnotconsideredsongormusical;
forMuslims,theQur’an,orholybook,isnotconsideredmusic.“Insteadthe
literaryandrhythmicqualitiesofthetextareextensionsoftheinherentquality
ofthetextitselfratherthansuperimposedmusicalornamentations.”(Sells,2007,
p.162).Thisisanimportantconcepttounderstand,particularlywhenworking
withtheadhaninacreativecapacity.Itfeelsimportanttorespectthe
parametersoftherecitationasdictatedbytheculturefromwhichitisderived.
ForthisreasonIwillgointomoredepthhereabouttherulesandapproachto
therecitationoftheadhan,asdescribedbyMichaelSellsinApproachingthe
Qur’an:TheEarlyRevelation.
Sellsdiscussestheimportanceoftherecitationoftheadhanas“oneofthe
mostveneratedactivitieswithinIslamiccultureandcivilization.”(2007).There
arespecificrulesofrecitationthatguidemuezzinsaroundtheworldintheway
theyrecitethecalltoprayer.Thoughtherecitationsoftheadhanvaryby
countryandindividualmuezzin,asisevidentintherecordingsIhavetaken,
therearetwobasicstylesofrecitationthatarefollowedbyall,thetartīlandthe
tajwīd.Thetartīlisanextremelypowerfulstyle,characterizedbyasteadychant
thatdoesnotboastmanymelodicflourishings,whilethetajwīd,ortajawwud,isa
highlyelaboratestyleboastingmanyelaboratevocalextensionsandflourishings.
(Sells,2007,p.163).
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Theadhanhassimilarsonicqualitiestorecitationsofotherreligionslike
thatoftheTorah,theJewishholytext.RecitationsoftheTorahandadhanboth
employexplicitreadingapproachesthatgovern,howportionsofwordsshould
berecited,whereaccentingshouldlieandforhowlongsyllablesshouldbeheld.
ItisforthisreasonandthesharedSemiticoriginsoftherootlanguages,Hebrew
inthecaseoftheTorahandArabicinthecaseoftheadhan,thatwehear
similaritiesintherecitations.
ThereadingoftheTorahisgovernedby27differenttropes,orTa’amei
haMikra,translatedastheflavorofthereading.Traditionallythesetropeswerea
partoftheoraltraditionoflearningtoreadtheTorah,andinmoderndayhave
beentranslatedintowrittensymbolstohelplearnersunderstandhowtorecite
thewordsintheTorah.Thesesymbolsdonot,however,appearintheTorah,
andtheymustbelearnedandmemorizedseparately.
TherulesofrecitationfortheQur’anareknownastajwīd,thesamename
asoneofthestylesofrecitation.Tajwīd“involvesstrictstandardsaboutwhen
andhowtomakeelisionsbetweenwords,whenandhowtodrawoutcertain
vowelsoundsormakecertainsoundeffectswithconsonants”(Sells,2007,p.
162).Despitethespecificityoftheserules,thesonicrepresentationoftheadhan
iscustomizedanduniquetoeachmuezzin’sstyleandthenuanceofcontributing
culturalfactorsfromeachcountryorcommunity,yetanoverallsoniccohesionis
maintainedacrossadhanswithinagivenstyle.Tajwīdincludesavarietyof
soundeffects,whiletwoarethemostcommonlyused:extension(madd),and
humming(ghunna).Maddisaneffectthatelongatesthelongvowelsattheend
ofsentences,whileghunnacreatesanasalizedeffectwithcertaincombinations
ofthelettersnandm.(Sells,2007,p.163).TherulesofTajwīd,thatIdiscuss
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here,describeatypeofexpressionwithinQur’anicrecitationthatisnoteasily
expressedthroughtraditionalmusicallanguage.Sellsexplainsthisphenomenon
inthefollowingway:“theQur’anshapessoundsintoparticularlypowerful
combinationswithmeaningandfeelingtocreateaneffectinwhichsoundand
meaningareintertwined”(Ibid,p.164).IdrawonthisideaintheSonic
Storyboardprojectwhenfocusingonthesubjectiveelementsofthecalltoprayer
thataredifficulttoname,butwhichcanbefeltandexperienced.
5.1.3 TheStoryBehindtheSonicStoryboardProject
In2002,whileexploringtheoutskirtsofacoastaltownontheSinai
PeninsulainEgypt,Idroppedtothegroundinfearatthesoundofveryloud,
scratchywordsbeingscreamedinArabicoutofaloudspeakeronthetopofa
nearbybuilding.Mymindwasracing,andIwasterrified,certainthatsomeone
hadfoundoutIwasJewish.IttookmeafewminutestorealizethatwhatIwas
hearingwasnotdirectedatmeatall.Ittookmeanotherfewyearstorealizethat
whatIhadheardthatdaywasinfacttheadhan.Itwasn’tuntil2010,whenIwas
bicyclingaroundAbuDhabirecordingtheadhan,thatthedisturbanceand
distortionoftherecitationthroughtheloudspeakersystemsoflocalmosques
triggeredmymemoryofthatexperienceinSinai,andhelpedmerealizethat
whatIhadheardthatdaywasinfactthecalltoprayer.
MyinterestinIslamcomesfromaconnectiontoIslamthroughmyfather’s
family,whoareLipkaTatars.HisgrandparentsimmigratedtoBrooklyn,New
York,intheearly1900saspartofawaveofTatarswhoimmigratedtothe
UnitedStates,fromcommunitiesinwhatisnowPoland,Ukraine,Lithuania,
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Russia,andBelarus.In1907mygreatgrandparent’sTatarcommunityformed
theAmericanMohammadanSociety,oftenreferredtoasthefirstmosqueinNew
YorkCity.Mygrandfatherwentontobecomethepresidentofthesocietyfora
periodoftime,andmyfatherwasraisedwithinthecommunity.Themosquestill
existstodayinitsoriginallocationonPowersStreetinWilliamsburg,Brooklyn.
WhilemyfatherhadconnectionstotheTatarcommunityandmosquein
Brooklynthroughhisparents,herenouncedhisinterestinhisreligion,asmany
membersoftheBrooklynTatarcommunityofhisgenerationalsohave.13
MyinterestinIslamgrewduringmytimeinIndia,whichhasthesecond-
largestMuslimpopulationintheworld,andtrulytookgripduringthesixyearsI
havelivedintheUnitedArabEmirates(UAE).LivingandworkingintheUAE,an
IslamiccountrythatisgovernedbyShariaLawexposedmetovariedaspectsof
IslamiclifeandculturethatIdidnotexperienceinIndia,evenwhileworking
withinMuslimcommunities.InAbuDhabi,theadhansoundsfivetimesdaily
frommosqueslocatedatthecornerofeverymainblock.Thenational
population,Emiratis,weartraditionalKheleeji(Gulf)clothing,andthoughthey
arereportedtocompriseonly20%oftheoverallpopulationofthecountry,the
Islamicexpatriatecommunityisquitelarge,representingpocketsofMuslim
communitiesfromaroundtheworld.
GrowingupwithinJewishcommunitiesinNewYork,andnothavinghad
anyassociationwithaMuslimcommunity,Ihadneverheardthecalltoprayeror13DuringavisittotheAmericanMohammadanSociety,withmyfather,inthesummerof2015,IlearnedfromspeakingwithAlyssaRatkewitch,thecaretakerofthemosque,thatmanymembersofmyfather’sgenerationdisconnectedfromtheTatarcommunityaftertheylefttheirparents’homes.WhileIdon’tknowofanyproperstudiesthatlookattherelationshipbetweenthebabyboomergenerationandpracticingIslamintheUnitedStates;itisthecasethatmyfather,alongwithAlyssa’smotherandmanyotherrelativesandcommunitymembersfromtheTatarcommunityoftheirgeneration,steppedoutofthereligiouscommunity.Itisalsothecasethattheirparents’generationandmorerecentlymygeneration,thechildrenofthebabyboomers,aremakingtheirwaybacktotheTatarcommunity.
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beentoamosque,andIhadzerofamiliaritywiththeArabiclanguage.Nowliving
andworkingintheUnitedArabEmirates,Ifindmyselfcompletelyenamored
withthecalltoprayer.Iappreciatehearingitsoundfivetimesadayfromevery
mosqueinthecityandfinditquitebeautiful,afarcryfromtheperspectiveIhad
in2002.
5.2 SectionTwo:StorytellingPlaceandSpace
5.2.1 TheStoryBehindtheSonicStoryboardProject
AsanartistIencountertheworldfirstandforemostasasoundscape,a
never-ending,always-intersecting,andattimessensuallyoffensive,immersive
auralexperience.TheideaoftheSonicStoryboardcameaboutasapartofmy
fascinationwiththeexplorationofsoundthroughtheactofdecouplingandthen
recouplingvisualandsonicmaterialthroughtechnologicalmediation.Through
thisprocess,visualimageryandfieldrecordingareusedtoimmersethevisitor
inamultidimensionalenvironment,wherebythestrategicplacementofvisual
artandsoundinstallationcreatesamomentofsimultaneouslyseeingand
listeningtoastory.Inaworldwherewearesocializedintotheimmediate
gratificationofthetelevisionormoviewatchingexperience,theSonic
Storyboardinitiallyoffersadecouplingofthevisualandsonicexperienceand
ultimatelyarecouplingthatisactivatedanddefinedbytheuser.Byaskingthe
viewer/listenertoexistinasuspendedrealitywherethevisualandtheauraltell
astorythatshemustworktounderstand,onecannothelpbutparticipateandin
turnengagewiththework.
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SonicStoryboard:ACalltoPrayeraimstochallengeandshakeupa
visitor’sassumptionsandperceptions;thepieceunfoldsthroughimagesand
sound,exposingthenuancedbeauty,complexityandculturalvariationsofthe
calltoprayerthatresonatefromallcornersoftheworld.ThisSonicStoryboard
presentsthevisitorwiththeexperienceofstandinginfrontof,insideof,ordown
theblockfromdifferentmosquesincitiesaroundtheglobe.Iwasinterestedin
howcollectingrecordingsandimagesofthecalltoprayerfromdifferent
mosques,thensynthesizingthemintoacontainedsonicenvironment,could
engagelistenerstochallengetheirperceptionofthecalltoprayerandspur
dialoguearounditaboutwhatpeoplereallyhearwhenthehearthecallto
prayer.
5.2.2 SoundMapping
Thecalltoprayerispartofourglobalsoundscape.FromNewYorkCityto
someofthemostruralvillagesinIndia,itisaconstantlive,sonicelementthat
shapestheaurallandscapeofplace.Thisprojectbeganthroughaninterestin
collectingfieldrecordingsandimagesofthecalltoprayerinAbuDhabi,where
thereisamosqueonpracticallyeverycornerthatsoundstheadhanfivetimes
eachday.Iwouldtravelaroundthecityonbicycleandcar,capturingsounds
fromdifferentcornersofthecity.Ibeganplanningmyinternationaltravelbased
aroundmosquesIcouldvisittorecordtheadhan.Initiallyitwasjustme
travelingwithmyrecordingequipment,recordingthecall,takingphotographs,
andthencominghome.Thisprojectexpandedbynecessityasitbecameclear
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thatcollaboratingwithpeoplearoundtheworldwouldallowforanexpanded
scopeandfastergrowthoftheproject.
In2013Ireachedouttofriendsandcolleaguesfromaroundtheworld,
askingiftheywouldcontributetotheprojectbyrecordingtheadhanandtaking
anaccompanyingphotographwheretheylivedorwhentheytraveled.People
respondedtotheprojectwithenthusiasm,buttodateonlyahandfulofpeople
havesubmittedrecordings.Ithinkthisisinpartduetothefactthattheprocess
ofrecordingtheadhandoesrequireacertainlevelofpatienceandcommitment.
In2015Iattemptedtoleveragesocialmediatohelpgrowtheproject,
whichIhadpackagedintoaweb-basedsoundmapofthecalltoprayerfrom
aroundtheworld.Facebookbecametheprimaryplatformforsharingthe
project,linkingpeopletothesoundmap,andrequestingsupporttogrowthe
collection.Thisapproachwasfurtherreaching,andtouchedmanymorepeople,
wellbeyondmygrasp,asfriendsrepostedandsharedtheprojectwiththeir
friends,someevenpointedlyrequestingotherstosubmitrecordings.Idid
receivesomerecordingsfromtheseappeals,anddirectedalotoftraffictothe
website,whichIwillfurtherdiscussintheanalyticssectionofthischapter.
Inadditiontothedevelopmentofthesoundmap,Iusedthefield
recordingstocomposesonicenvironmentsthatengagelistenerstochallenge
theirperceptionsandassumptionsofthecalltoprayerand,byextension,of
Islam.Astherecordingsarealllive,thetruegritandnoiseofthefield
environmentiscarefullycapturedinthem,includingambientstreetnoise,and
soundsystemdistortionfrommosques.LiketheabruptnessoftheadhanIheard
intheSinaiPeninsulayearsagoplayingoververypoor-qualityspeakers,the
qualityoftheadhanIhearwhenrecordingisheavilyinfluencedbythespaces
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insideofthemosquewherethemicrophonesareplaced,andthequalityofthe
amplificationsystemoutsidethemosque,thatcarriestheadhantothe
community.WithintheUAE,whereIhaverecordedthegreatestnumberof
adhan,thequalitycandeviatedrasticallybetweenmosques.Ithasbeenmy
experiencethatthequalityoftheamplificationinthecitiesisgenerallybetter,in
partbecausethespeakersarenotaswornfromthesandblowingatthemdueto
tallcitybuildingsservingasanobstruction.Ihavealsonoticedthatolder
mosques,ortemporarymosquesseemtohavepoorerqualityamplification
systems.OneofthegrittiestadhansIhaverecorded,andalsooneofthemost
interesting,wasfromamosqueontheJebelAlAkhdarMountaininOman.
(SoundRecordingJebelAlAkhdar.wav)Therecordingofthisadhancapturesthe
grit,butmaynotseemasappealingtoalistener,asitdidtomelisteninglive.
Thisisinpartduetohavingseenthemuezzinwalkingtothemosquefive
minuteslate,seeinghisredandbrownstainedteeth,likelyfromdailyshisha
smoking,andthenhearinghisveryraspyvoicerecitetheadhan,whichwas
projectedovercracklyspeakers.
Eachrecordingisanattemptatcapturingthemuezzin’svoicethroughthe
loudspeakersfacingawayfromthemosqueandintothecommunity;the
experienceofbeingapersonwalkingonthestreetinthatcommunityduringthe
adhan.Eachrecordingcapturesasonicfidelityoftheplace,theamplification
systemofthemosque,thetrafficandstreetnoisesoftheplace,andthe
perspectiveofhearingtheadhanrecitednotfromwithinthemosque,oronthe
televisionorradio,butfromwithineachindividualcommunitysetting.
Additionally,dependingonanindividual’sfamiliaritywithIslam,variationsin
theadhancanrevealdetailsaboutthesectofIslampracticedbytheMuezzinand
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hisassociatedmosque.SpecificallytherearevariationsintheadhansofShi’ite
andSunnimosques.
Todate,theprojectincludesrecordingsoftheadhantakeninTurkey,The
UnitedStates,Tunisia,Sudan,Israel,Palestine,Oman,Jordan,theUnitedArab
Emirates,India,Pakistan,Myanmar,Singapore,andMalaysia.Ultimately,I
wouldlikeforthisprojecttohavealiverecordingoftheadhantakeninasmany
placesaroundtheglobeaspossible.
5.2.3 CollaboratingwithCommunitiesAroundtheWorld
Theonlycriteriaforsubmittingafieldrecordingoftheadhanisthatit
mustbecomplete,withoutmissingwordsorphrases.Thismeansthattheperson
recordingtheadhanmustbereadywiththeirrecorderturnedonbeforethe
adhansounds.Theadhantimingchangesdailyasitisbasedonthepositionof
thesun.Itisnecessarytotrackdownthedailyprayertimesinordertoknow
whentoexpecttheadhantosound.Additionally,myexperienceofrecordingis
thatbecausemostadhansarerecitedlivebyamuezzinatthemosque,though
someplaceslikeAbuDhabihavesynchronizedpre-recordedadhans,theexact
timingoftheadhanmaybeslightlydifferentthanthelistedtiming.Duringatrip
toOman,IwaswaitingoutsideamosqueonJebelAlAkhdar,awaitingthe
recitationoftheadhan.Ihadmyaudiorecorderrunningandreadyfor10to15
minutesandheardnothing.JustasIwaspreparedtoleave,assumingthatthe
adhanwouldnotberecited,Isawthemuezzinwalkingtowardthemosquefrom
anadjacentcommunity.Hewaswalkingslowlyandlookedasthoughhemay
havejustawokenfromamiddaynap.AfewminutesafterenteringthemosqueI
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couldhearthefamiliarclicksignalingtheamplificationsystembeingturnedon,
followedbyaclearingofthethroatandtherecitationoftheadhan.
Thecurrentworkflowforcontributingtothesoundmapentailsaperson
sendingmeane-mailwiththeaudiofileandaphotographofthemosquefrom
thevantagepointofthelocationwhereitwasrecorded.Thisfinalnecessary
stepincontributingarecordingtotheprojectalsoposeschallengesthatmay
impactthenumberofcontributors,asitrequiresextrasteps,includingdata
gatheringfromcameras,recordersorotherdevices,andthensendingane-mail
withthismedia.Theidealworkflowwouldminimizethenumberofstepsa
contributorneedstotake,seamlesslyallowingthemtorecordanduploadaudio
andphotographicfilesdirectlyfromtheirphonestoaweb-basedrepositoryfor
thesoundmap.Thiscouldbeeasilyaccomplishedthroughthedevelopmentofa
smartphoneappthatwouldstoretherecordingsandphotographsforeasy
uploadingoncethedeviceconnectstowifiordataservice.Thesefileswould
thenbepostedtothemap,afterbeingcheckedinbythesiteadministrator.
5.2.4 EthicalConsiderations
Theethicalconsiderationsforthisprojectweredifferentfromtheother
casestudiesmentionedinthisresearch,fortwomainreasons.Thefirstisthe
multi-geographicnatureofthefieldwork,whichresultedinbrieflyvisitingmany
communities,butnotpartneringwithanyone.Thesecondconsideration
pertainstothehistoricalsonicintentionofthecalltoprayerasapublic
soundscape,whichwasintendedtobeheardbylocalsandvisitorsalike.
BecauseIwasnotenteringanyonecommunitydeeply,Iwasawareofhoweasy
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itwouldhavebeentobeasound“tourist,”enteringplacesandrecordingsound
withoutanyrealunderstandingofthecontextinwhichthatsoundoccurred.I
thereforemadeanefforttotalktopeopleinthecommunitywhenIcould,bothto
learnfromthemandalsotoletthemknowwhatIwasdoingsothatItwouldnot
disruptorcausealarm.
Duringtheinitialtwoyearsofcollectingrecordingsoftheadhan,I
traveledlargelyalonetolargecitiesandsmalltownsintheUAE,Oman,Jordan,
Singapore,Myanmar,India,andTurkeywithmyarchivalstandardrecordingrig.
Thesevisitswouldoftenlastnomorethanoneweek,duringwhichIwould
generallyvisiteachmosqueeitheronlyonce,ifIwasmovingaroundacountry,
orseveraltimeswithintheweek.ThemosquesIvisitedmultipletimeswere
generallytheoneswhereImadecontactswiththemuezzinandmembersofthe
localcommunity.InsomecasesIhadtheopportunitytospeaktothecommunity
abouttheprojectIwasworkingon,aswasthecasewhenrecordingin
Bangalore,India.IwasinBangaloreforaweek,andIvisitedthemosquewhereI
wantedtorecordseveralhoursbeforetheadhanwouldsound.InthattimeI
spoketomanylocalshopowners,hadteawiththemandtheirfamilies,andthey
thenputmeincontactwithleadersofthemosque—whohadmanyquestions
aboutmyrecording—andultimatelywiththemuezzin.Iwasapproachedbyone
leaderofthemosque,amanreferredtoastheDoctor,whowashighlyeducated
andfluentinEnglish.HewasinterestedinmyprojectandwhatIwasdoing
outsidetheMosquewiththeequipment.HewasinterestedinwhetherornotI
wasMuslim,whereIwasfrom,andwhyIwasinterestedinthisparticular
mosque.Myexplanationofmyinterestintheadhan,myfather’supbringingas
Muslim,andtheSonicStoryboardprojectputhimatease.Ilatermetwiththe
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muezzinoftheMosqueandrecordedtheadhan.
Insomecommunitieswheremystaywasbriefandunplanned,
particularlyinJordanandMyanmar,myinteractionswiththelocalcommunity
werebrieforinsomecasesnonexistent,largelydependentonthetimeofday.In
JordanIstoppedandvisitedahandfulofmosquesonadrivefromAmmantothe
DeadSea,noneofwhichwerepre-planned.Whiledriving,asitnearedprayer
time,Iwouldexitthemainroadanddrivearoundalocalcommunitylookingfor
themosque.Iwouldthensetuprecordingequipmentandwaitfortheadhan.In
oneinstance,tenschoolchildrenspottedmycarandcameovertoaskmewhatI
wasdoing.InmyminimalArabic,andtheirEnglish,wewereabletoestablish
thebasics,thatIwasrecordingtheAdhan,andtheywaitedwithmethroughthe
recordingandtriedtostayquiet.
InMyanmarIhadaverydifferentexperiencerecordingtheadhaninthe
capital,Yangon,whereIwasvisitingforoneweek.Ilocatedamosquenearto
myaccommodation,butitdidnotsoundtheadhanduringprayertime.Ihad
experiencedsimilarchallengesinmanyplaces,wherenotallmosquessoundthe
adhanfivetimesperday,butratherthemuezzinrecitestheadhanunamplified.
ThemosqueIwasabletorecordatwaslocatedonaverybusystreetacrossfrom
themainmarket,whichattractedvisitorsandtouristsalike.Ihadvisitedthe
areaoftownthedaybeforetoseethemarket.WhenInoticedthemosque,I
inquiredwiththestreetvendorsaboutwhetherornottheadhansoundedand
when.TheytoldmetoreturnthefollowingdayandsoIdidclosertoprayertime
Iwasgiven,withmyrecorderinhand.Iwascarefultobemorediscretein
Yangon,asIwasawarethattherewasalotofanti-Islamicsentimentin
Myanmar,andIdidnotwanttoalarmthemuslimcommunitiesordrawtoo
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muchattentiontomyself.
Iwalkedaroundthesideofthemosquewithasmallhandheldaudio
recorder.ThereweretwoMyanmarimenofBengalidescentclosingdowntheir
streetshopadjacenttothesideentranceofthemosque.Theysawmelingering
intheareaandIdecidedtoapproachthemtoaskabouttheadhantiming.They
wereapprehensiveaboutourconversationatfirst,andtherewasalanguage
barrier,whichwenavigatedthroughamixtureofBengali/HindiandArabic.
TheyaskedmeifIwasMuslim,andwhereIwasfrom,andIexplainedthatIwas
visitingfromAbuDhabi,andthatmyfatherwasraisedMuslim.ItoldthemI
wantedtorecordtheadhanforaprojectbecauseitsoundsverydifferentin
MyanmarthanitdoesinAbuDhabi.Thiscommunicationwasalittleless
clarifyingforallparties,giventhelanguagebarrier;however,afterour
conversation,theysupportedmyrecordingandexplainedtootherfolkswho
approachedthemaboutwhatIwasdoing.AfterIhadfinishedrecording,afew
childrenfromthecommunityapproachedme,andIletthemlistentothemselves
beingrecordedtohelpdemystifytherecorder.
ThenatureofthecommunityIpartneredwithinthisprojectwas
differentthantheothertwoprojects;mycommunityconsistedofcolleagues,
merchantswhoseshopswerenearmosques,peopleImetwhileonvacation,
muezzinsandmembersofsmallruralcommunities,childrenexcitedtoseea
foreigner,brothersandsistersoffriends,aglobalcommunityofcontributorsand
visitorstothesoundmap,andalocalcommunityofadvisorsintheUAE,aswell
asaudiencemembers.Thisprojectdoesnotsupportthetraditionalinvestment
inasinglecommunityonewouldtraditionallyseeattheheartofethnographic
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research;however,theintentionofthisworkistofocusononeaspectofone
religiouscommunity,whichspanstheglobe.
Thepublicnatureoftheadhanhashistoricallyservedtohelpdefine
Islamiccommunities,orthe“MuslimQuarter”inheterogeneouscities
(Eisenberg,2013).RelatedtoLee’sideaoftheadhanasa“soundmark,”which
definesacommunitybycreatingasonicboundary,thepublicfacingnatureofthe
adhanisintegraltoitsfunctionofbeingheard.Althoughmosquesbroadcastthe
adhanforalltohear,knowingthatitisreachingMuslimsandnon-Muslimsalike,
IwasconcernedabouthowImightappearandhowmypresencewouldbe
interpretedasIrecordedtheadhan.Throughmyexperiencesrecordingin
differentplacesIhavenoticedthatwithincitiesandcountriesthatare
predominantlyMuslim,noonehasseemedconcernedaboutthenatureofthe
recording.Forexample,inAbuDhabi,wheresurveillancecamerasarepresent
oneverystreetcornerandtheexperienceoflivingintheplaceleadmetobelieve
Ishouldbediscreetinpublicrecording,notonepersonapproachedmeorasked
whatIwasdoing.Instarkcontrast,whenIrecordedatthemosqueinBangalore,
India,acountrythathasstruggledwithamarginalizedMuslimpopulationsince
partitionin1947,Ididn’tgetwithin20feetofthemosquebeforesomeone
approachedmeandaskedmewhatIwasdoing.Whileonecouldarguethatthis
experienceismoresymptomaticofthespecificcountriesIvisitedthanatrend,
otherscholars,likeAndrewEisenberg(2013),havearticulatedsimilar
experiences.
Eisenbergsharesastoryofhisownexperiencerecordingkhutba,the
sermon,inMombasa,Kenya,asayoungethnographer,andwritesabouthow
communitypoliticsandhistoricaloppressionoftheSwahiliMuslimcommunity
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ledtosuspicionandconcernabouthisactions:
OneFriday,earlyoninmyresearchonMombasaOldTown’sIslamic sound-scape,Isetouttomakeanaudiorecordingofanamplifiedkhutba fromawindowoftheflatIhadrentedintheneighborhood.ThoughIwas tryingnottobeconspicuous,neitherwasIattemptingtohidewhatIwas doing,naivelyconfidentintheknowledgethatneitherKenyanlawnormy professionalethicsdictatedthatanypermissionwasnecessarytorecord a‘publicbroadcast’.(p.200).
Havingfoundoutlaterthathisactionshadcausedsuspicionwithinthe
community,Eisenberg’sresponse,wassimilartomyownposedabove,ashe
considers“how[the]actofrecordingapublicbroadcastcouldbeseenas
threatening.”(p.200).Eisenberggivesaglimpseintothecomplexitiesand
dynamicsoftherelationshipbetweenMombasaOldTowne’sIslamiccommunity
andthedominantChristianclass,whoembodytheauthorityoftheKenyanstate.
Whiletherecordingitselfwasnotinherentlyproblematic,theconcernoverhis
recordingandpresenceinthecommunitywasthathewaspossiblyaspy,and
therewasconcerninthecommunityforsafetyinplacesinMombasa,and
possiblyKenyaatlarge.Keepingthisinmind,Itriedtotalktopeopleatthe
mosquesandinthesurroundingcommunitywhenIcould.
Ifeltstrengthenedbythegoalsoftheprojectandmyactivistintentionto
buildawarenessandbreakdownbarriersandassumptionsaboutIslamand
aboutMuslimcommunities,eventhosethatdonotsoundtheadhan.Ifeltthat
theethicalchallengesofpassingthroughcommunitieswereoutweighedbythe
valuableworkofdisseminatingtheadhanandeducatingpeopleaboutthebeauty
andnuanceofthissacred,globalsound.Thoughnottraditional,thisresearch
aimstobeinserviceofMuslimcommunities,andisconductedwithethical
considerationforthepeople,communities,andculturethatitexplores.
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5.3 SectionThree:TheExhibition
5.3.1 TheExhibition
TheSonicStoryboardexhibitisamodalityofcreativesoundworkthat
drawsontraditionalstoryboarding,wherebyonecreatesavisualenvironment
inwhichdistinctiveideasorscenesareidentified(oftenonanindexcardor
pieceofpaper)inorderforthestoryboardertoeasilyreorganizeorstructure
thenarrativebyphysicallymovingthescenesaroundonacanvas,soasto
visuallyseethereorganization.InthecaseofSonicStoryboardingexhibit,the
visitorsplaytheroleofthemoveroftheindexcard,wheretheindexcardsare
individualrecordingsoftheadhanandtheparametersfortheplaybackofthose
recordings.
Forexample,inaniterationoftheexhibition,theAsradhan,ormid-
afternooncalltoprayerfromOman,wasincludedasoneoftherecordings,along
withaphotographofthemosque.Avisitor’smovementinthespacebeginsto
moveortransformthecalltoprayer,andseveralvisitorscansimultaneously
transformanumberoftheadhanrecordings,creatinganoverallsonic
composition.Thephotographthattheaudiencemembergravitatestowardor
awayfrom,thespeedinwithwhichtheyapproachtheimage,andthedistance
theyarefromtheimageareallparametersthataltertheresultingsonic
storyboardcreatedbytheirmovement.
Theexhibition,whichtookplaceonMay23,2014,washeldinan
apartmentgalleryspaceinAbuDhabi,andwasattendedby35to40people.The
installationwasupfora24-hourperiod,withaformalopeningat5pm.The
openingwasheavilyattended,anditservedasanopportunitytoprovide
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informationontheobjectiveandprocessoftheproject,whichwas
communicatedthrougha10-minuteintroduction,whichalsoservedasan
opportunitytoexplainanddemystifythetechnologyusedintheexhibition.
FortheexhibitionIdevelopedamicrocontrollersensordrivendata
collectionsystemwherepeople’smovementinthespacechangedwhatwas
happeningtoaudioplayback.ThisinvolvedusingPingultrasonicsensorsthat
collecteddataofpeople’smovement,sendingthedataintoanArduinoUno
microcontroller,whichwouldthensendthedataintoacomputerthatwould
processthatdatathroughseveralprogramsIbuilt,whichoutputthepre-
recordedadhanswithtransformations(Image5.1).Thearduinomicrocontroller
andcablingwerevisibleandobvioustotheaudienceinawaythatwas
aestheticallyintegratedintotheexhibition,ratherthanmasked(Image5.2).
Havingthetechnologyoutintheopen,themessofcables,solderjoints,and
microcontrollerswasintendedtofueldiscussionsofthetechnologyasapartof
theinstallation.Peoplewerefreetoroaminandoutofthemainexhibitroom
andintoahallwaywithdrinksandsnacks.Thecasualnatureoftheopeningalso
allowedforconversationandfeedbackonthepiece,aswellasanopportunityfor
metocapturesonicfeedbackfromtheexhibit,intheformofambisonic
recordingstakenwithintheexhibitionwhilepeoplewereroamingaround.
Image5.1PingUltrasonicsensorywithcablingonexhibitionwallbelowphotographsof
mosques.
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Image5.2Galleryspaceshowemptywithexposedwiring.
5.3.2 Technology
Thefieldrecordingsoftheadhanweremostlyrecordedusingthesame
equipment,whichIpackagedintoatravelrecordingkitthatwaseasyto
transportthroughoutmytravels.Thekitincludesabatteryoperatedfield
recorder,astereocapsulemicrophone,ashock-mount,cabling,andheadphones
allinonebriefcasesizetravelcase.IusedaSoundDevices702tfieldrecorderin
conjunctionwithanAudioTechnicaAT8022stereocapsulemicrophoneforthe
majorityoftherecordingsofthecalltoprayer.
ThetechnologybehindtheexhibitionwasbuiltinArduinoandMax/MSP.
TheArduinoprogramwasabletotakeinformationfromtheultrasonicsensors
aroundthegalleryandmapthemtoaspecificdatavaluethatcouldbe
interpretedbyMax/MSP,whichIusedtocontroltheaudiooutputofthe
exhibition(DataindexfileSonic_Storyboard_four_sensor_sketch.ino).TheMax
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patchIdesignedtakesthedatasetsfromtheArduinosketch,tosetparameters
thatcorrelatetotheextenttowhichaparticularparameterwasappliedtothe
audioplaybackofthevariousadhans(Dataindexfilesonicstoryboard.maxpat).
Thiswasrealizedthroughmappingthedatarangereturnedbythepingsensors
toaugmentationparameterswithinthemaxpatchthatwouldeffectvarious
aspectsoftherecordedaudiofile.Thepatchalsosenttheaudiooutofthe
computertoasoundcard,whichwastiedtoaquadriphonicspeaker
configuration.AsyoucanseeinImage5.3,thevisualinterfaceforthemaxpatch
containsfourfadersthatallowedmetocontroltheoveralldecibeloutputofeach
track.
Image5.3ScreenshotoftheMax/MSPmaxpatchIbuiltfortheexhibition.ProgramisontheCD-Rom.
Thevisitor’sphysicalmovementinthespacealteredandaugmented
differentparametersoftheaudioplaybackoftheadhan.Themaxpatchwas
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designedsothatone’smovementnearerorfurtherawayfromtheultrasonic
sensorwouldaugmentoneofanumberofpre-determinedparametersofthe
recordingincludingtempo,amplitude,orfrequency.Theintentionbehindthese
augmentationswasthattheycreatedanobviousenoughchangetothe
recordingsoftheadhanthattheywouldbenoticed.AdditionallyIwasvery
interestedintheaudienceeventuallyrealizinghowtheirmovementsimpacted
whattheywerehearing.Thisseemedtohappenmosteffectivelywhenthere
wereonlyoneortwopeopleinthespace,astherelationshipbetweenone’s
movementandvariationinwhattheyheardwasmoretangible,anddistinctive.
Whilemyinitialintentionwastoshowcasethenuanceandvariationofthe
adhan,whichhappenedonlywhenavisitortriggeredasensorandthenleftthe
gallery,theexhibitultimatelydrewgreaterattentiontotherelationshipbetween
thelistenerandwhatwasbeingheard.Specificallytheexhibitmadeclearthe
wayone’smovementinthegalleryimpactedtheresultingsound.
5.3.3 AmbisonicRecording
IusedtheCoreSoundTetramic,anambisonicmicrophone,tocapture
recordingsoftheinstallation.Manyoftherecordingsincludedhuman
interaction,conversation,andfootsteps,whileinoneoftherecordingsI
attemptedtocaptureminimalhumansounds.(DataindexfileSonicStoryboard
ExhibitionRecording.aif)Ambisonicsissometimesreferredtoas3-Dsound
recording,becauseanambisonicmicrophoneisdesignedtocapturethethree
dimensionalsoundfield.Ambisonicmicrophonesarebuiltwith4cardioid
capsulesinatetrahedronconfiguration,oneofwhichhasanomnidirectional
pattern,whiletheotherthreeprovidedirectionalinformation.Ambisonic
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microphonesrecordinA-Format,butbeforeonecanlistentothemtheymustbe
decodedintoB-Format,usinganalgorithmthatencodestheinformationfroma
3dimensionalsoundfieldintofourchannelscalledW,X,Y,Z(Hollerweger,
2008).
A-Formatrecordings,orambisonicencodedsignalsarenotdirectly
feedinganyspeakers,butrathertheformatiscarryinginformationforanentire
soundfield.Inordertolistenbacktoanambisonicrecordingitisnecessaryto
decodetheencodedfileintoB-Format.Itiswithintheencodingprocessthatthe
realbenefitofambisonicrecordingbecomesapparent.Ambisonicdecoding
softwareallowsfortheselectionofaplaybacklayoutfortherecording,for
exampleperiphonic,quadrophonic,5.1,or7.1.Thedecodingsoftwarealso
supportsmanualmanipulationofavarietyofparametersoftherecorded
soundfield,includingthegain,directivity,azimuth,elevation,andwidth.
Recordingwithanambisonicmicrophonehasmanyadvantages,inthatit
allowstheusertodecodethesoundfieldinformationintoawidevarietyof
configurationstomeettheirneeds.Itisforexamplepossibletoapplyafilterto
therecordingthatmakesitsoundasthoughthesoundsourceisaboveorbelow,
behindorinfrontofthemicrophone.Thedecodingsoftwarealsosupports
explorationandtrialwithinthespatializedsoundenvironmentallowingusersto
achievesoundsthatmayhavebeenimpossibletootherwiserecord.The
decodingsoftwareisalsovisual,providingcolorsandpolarpatternshapesfor
eachmicrophoneorientationinthesoundfield,allowingforvisualspatialized
mixingtooccur.
Despitethesebenefitstherearealsoanumberofdeterrentstousing
ambisonicmicrophones,namelycostandthecomplexity.CoreSound’sTetramic
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canbepurchasedfor$1,000.00USD,andisoneofthelower-costambisonic
microphones.Whilesomelargeandsmalldiaphragmcondensermicrophones
cancostthismuchormore,itisalsopossibletopurchaseamuchlessexpensive
microphonethatwillmakeagoodqualityrecording.Theworkflowfor
ambisonicmicrophonescanbedifficult,particularlythedecodingprocess.While
recordingwiththemicrophoneisfairlystraightforwardasIpreviously
mentioned,itisnotpossibletodirectlylistentotheA-Formatrecording,which
meansausermustfirstdecodetheirrecordingbeforepassingitthrougha
plugin,wheretheycanpickthespeakerconfigurationandmanipulatesoundfield
parameters.Atpresentthisprocesscanbeclunky,thedecodingsoftwarecanbe
buggyandnotcompatiblewithallDAW’sanduntilagoodworkflowis
established,willtakesignificantlymoretimethansimplyimportinga.WAVor
.AIFFfileintoProTools.
5.3.4 ArduinoandMax/MSP TheparametersoftheMaxpatchweretoaugmentcertainparametersof
theplaybackaudio,sothatwhenapersonwouldapproachthephotograph,
whichhadtheultrasonicsensorunderneathit,theaudiowouldbeaffected.The
ultrasonicsensorwouldregisternearertothe1endofthespectrumwhena
personwasrightnexttoit,andclosertoa137whenthepersonwasacrossthe
room.Ithenmappedthatrange,1-137,orinsomecasesaportionofthatrange,
toaparameteroftheaudiothatIwantedtochange,suchasfrequencyor
velocity,oreveninsomecases,playingthetrackbackwards.Thiswouldmake
theaudiooftheadhansoundretractedordistorted;sometimesitwouldfeelas
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thoughthetrackwassloweddownorthepitchwasdeeper.Inothercases,the
parameterswouldspeeduporslowdownthetrack.Itwaspeople’smovement
inthespacethatimpactedwhathappened;ifpeopledidnotentertheexhibition,
itwouldbeaspaceplayingthecalltoprayerasitwasrecorded.Theexhibit
helpeddrawaconnectionbetweenthepresenceofapersoninaspaceandwhat
thatpersonhears.Allpeoplehearthingsdifferentlydependentonour
experienceandreferences,aswasthecasewithmyexperienceofbeingscared
hearingtheadhanwhilevisitingtheSinaiPeninsula.Drawingadirect
connectionbetweenourinteractionswiththephotographsofmosquesandthe
resultingmanipulationsoftheadhanwereintendedtochallengepeopleto
considerhowwhatwebringwithus,howwemoveandactimpactshowwe
experiencethatplace,orwhatwehear.
5.3.5 Interactivity,Reactivity,andParticipation TheadhanisaQur’anicrecitationthatdemandsparticipatorylistening
fromMuslims(Eisenberg,2013,p.192).Listeningtotheadhantriggers
practicesof“reception”thatarelearnedbyfollowersofthefaith.These
practicesofreceptionareinteractiveattheircore,notunliketheparticipation
askedofvisitorstotheSonicStoryboardexhibition.In“Islam,SoundandSpace:
AcoustemologyandMuslimCitizenshipontheKenyanCoast,”AndrewEisenberg
talksaboutthisparticipatorypracticeinaSwahiliMuslimcommunityin
Mombasa,Kenya:
Properauditionoftheadhanimpliesanactiveprocessengagingnotonly
theearsbutalsotheentirebody,includingthevoice.Uponhearingthe
234
firstline,piousMuslimsrepeatthefirstwords‘AllahuAkbar’(Godis
Great)quietlytothemselves,alongsidewithotherprescribedresponses
tosubsequentlines.(p.192).
EisenberggoesontomentionotherformsofparticipatorylisteninginIslam,
includingthesilencingoftelevisionsandradiostomakespacefortheadhan,and
habituatedbodilytechniquesmostlyinresponsetosermons(Ibid).Theuseof
interactivemediatechnologyintheSonicStoryboardprojectallowsfor
opportunitiestoincorporateaspectsoftheadhanandpeople’sparticipation
withit,intoanexhibitiontargetingnon-Muslimswhoarenotfamiliarwiththe
practicesofreception.Thismixingofparticipatorylistening,withreactivity
mediatedbytechnology,isanimportantelementoftheexhibitthatrunsbeneath
thesurface,butwhichbringscriticalelementsoflisteningandparticipationto
thevisitors’experience.
Interactivetechnologywascriticalinstagingthistypeofexhibition
becauseoftheendlesspossibilitiesforexpressionandconnectionmade
availablethroughthecombinationofphysicalcomputingandsoftware
development.Togiveyouasenseofhowinteractivetechnologycanfunctionto
connectpeopleandtheirexperienceswithinanexhibit,considerthefollowing
example.Picturearoomthatis12feetlong,andoneendoftheroom,againstthe
wallthereisanelectricpiano.Ontheotherendoftheroomthereisasingle
handprintfourfeetupthewall.Inordertogetsoundfromthepiano,aperson
mustbetouchingthekeysonthepianoandthehandprintacrosstheroomatthe
sametime.Nowimaginethattwoorthreeadditionalpeopleentertheroom,and
theyformahumanchainfromoneendtotheotherbyholdinghands.Thefirst
personhasonehandonthepianokeys,andwiththeotherholdsthehandofthe
235
nextpersoninthechain,andthiscontinuesuntilthelastpersoninthechain
reachesthewall,andplacestheirfreehandonthehandprint,afterwhichthe
depressednotesonthepianoareamplified.Theprocessofdeveloping
experimentalartusingtechnologicaltoolsthataremediatedbyhuman
interactionisattheheartofInteractiveMediaTechnology.Interactivemedia
providesawide-openarenainwhichtocreate,andchallengesanartisttobe
moreinnovativeandexperimentalintheircreations,byblowingopenthe
relationshipbetweenthenumericworldofcomputingandthephysicalworld
aroundus.
OneaimoftheSonicStoryboardexhibitionwasfortheaudienceto
understandandrealizehowtheirinteractionorreactionasitreallywas,with
thephotographs(andsensorsplacedbeloweachphotograph)impactedthe
soundstheywerehearing.Whilesomeaudiencemembersseemedto
understandthisrelationship,othersdidnot.Thiswasduetothedesignofthe
exhibition,whichcouldhavebeenimprovedupon.Asaresultofthesizeofthe
space,andthenumberofvisitorstothespace,thegalleryspacequicklybecame
engulfedinacacophonyofsound,andbecausethereweresomanypeopleinthe
space,itwasnotnecessarilyclearhowone’smovementdirectlyimpactedthe
audibleenvironment.Thedesignofthisexhibitiondefinitelyworkedbetter
whentherewasaone-to-onerelationshipbetweenaudiencememberand
ultrasonicsensor.Inastandardexhibition,itisoftenthecuratorwhothinks
throughhowtheaudiencewillengageandinteractwiththeart.Inthiscase,part
ofthedesignoftheworkisanticipatinghowpeopleinteractwiththeexhibition,
butthisisdifficulttodetermine,andrequiresagooddealofexperiencein
interactivedesigntomaster.
236
5.3.6 Analytics
Inordertocapturedataaboutthewebbasedsoundmap,includingwho
accessesit,fromwhereintheworld,andhowoften,IaddedGoogleAnalyticsa
typeofcustomizedfilter,tomywebsite.TheaimoftheSonicStoryboardisto
bringawarenesstothenuanceofthecalltoprayer,andbyextension,todisrupt
assumptionsofIslamandtobringawarenessoftheadhanfromdifferentplaces
aroundtheworld.HereIwilldiscusssomeoftheanalyticsdatafromthesiteas
wellasmyobservationsandconclusionsbasedonthedata.
Oneaimofthisprojectwastohelpcreatearepositoryofrecordingsof
theadhanfrommosquesaroundtheworld.Alloftheprojectsdiscussedinthis
dissertationaimtoensurethatsomeformoftherecordedmaterialmakesits
waybacktothecommunitiesfromwhereitwasrecorded,andforthisproject
thesoundmapservesthatpurposeaswell.Thefieldrecordingsassociatedwith
theSonicStoryboardwererecordedbypeoplefromdifferentplaces,andtaken
ofmosquesaroundtheworld.Asaresult,returningrecordingsoftheadhanto
eachcommunityposesseveralchallenges.Thewebpresenceofthesoundmap
aimstomitigatesomeofthosechallengesbymakingtherecordingsopenly
availabletoanywhohaveaccesstotheInternet.Thechallengeinherentinthis
approachisthatitisdifficulttoknowiftherecordingspostedonthesoundmap
arebeingaccessedatall,ifsobywhom,andwithwhatfrequency.
InordertoattempttoanswersomeofthesequestionsIaddedGoogle
Analyticstomywebsite,www.dianachester.com,andranseveralsiteusage
queries.Thewebsiteiscomprisedoffourmainpages,accessibleviaicon
navigationatthetopofthepage.Thesearetheaboutpage,theprojectspage,the
237
musicpage,andthephotospage.Thehomepageofthesite,
www.dianachester.comiseasilyaccessibleviaasearchengine,butisnoteasily
accessiblewithinthesite,exceptviaasmall“home”iconinthebottomleftfooter
ofthepage.
GoogleAnalyticsprovidesafreerobustoverviewoftheusageofagiven
website,givingtheowneranopportunitytogaincriticaldataaboutthesite
throughahighlycustomizabledashboard.Someofthetoolsthatareoffered,
whichIwillfocusoninthissection,include:dataonthenumberofusersthat
visitthesite,theorderinwhichthoseusersaccessthedifferentpagesofthesite,
thetimeframeofthevisit,andaccessandusagebasedongeography.The
analyticstoolalsoallowssiteadministratorstosetcustomizedparametersand
goalsbasedontheirneedsandinterests.Notethatthesoundmap,whichisthe
mainfocusofenquiryhere,isembeddedontheprojectspageofthewebsite,and
asaresulttheanalyticsforthispageapplytoallprojectsrepresentedonthe
projectpage,andnotthesoundmapalone.
BetweenAugust18,2015andDecember18,2105,therewere840
discretesessionsduringwhichmywebsitewasaccessed.Ofthose840sessions,
theprojectspageofthesitewasaccessedduring113.WecanseeinImage5.4
belowthegeographiesintheworldfromwherepeopleaccessedtheprojects
pageofthesitefromAugust18,2015,toDecember18,2015.Thesedateswere
chosenastheyrepresentaquarterlylookbackfromthemomentIpennedthis
section,andcanberunregularlyforthemostuptodateresults.
IcreatedasegmentinGoogleAnalyticstosearchspecificallyforthose
sessionswhereusersaccessedtheprojectspage.Thesearchyielded113discrete
sessions,themajorityofwhichoriginatedintheUnitedArabEmirates.Ofthese
238
113sessions,thegeographicbreakdownbycountryisasfollows;64werefrom
theUnitedArabEmirates,21fromtheUnitedStates,15fromIndia,fivefrom
NewZealand,threefromPortugal,twofromSouthAfrica,onefromthe
Netherlands,onefromSingapore,andonefromTaiwan.
Image5.4Mapshowingfromwherethesoundmapwasaccessed betweenAugust18th,2014andDecember18th,2015. Thisuserdatabreakdownbycountryisusefulinunderstandingthe
relationshipbetweencountrieswheretheadhanwasrecordedandcountries
whereusersaccessedthewebsite.Oftheninecountrieswhereusersaccessed
thewebsite,fourofthosecountries,theUSA,UAE,India,andSingapore,were
alsoplaceswhereadhanswererecordedandrepresentedonthesoundmap.
Thisofcoursemeansthattherewereusersfromfivecountries,NewZealand,
Portugal,SouthAfrica,Netherlands,andTaiwanwhereusersaccessedthe
projectspage,butarenotgeographicallycorrelatedtothematerialonthesound
map.
Ofthe113sessions,71accessedtheprojectspageastheirstartingpage,
meaningthefirsttimetheyaccessedthewebsitetheywentdirectlytotheURL,
www.dianachester.com/projects.html.Thegeographicbreakdownbycity,of
239
these71usersareasfollows;42fromAbuDhabi,10fromNewYork,6from
Pune,5fromAuckland,2fromCapeTown,1fromBurlington,1fromNewDelhi,
1fromRoundRock,1fromSingapore,1fromVoorburg,andonewasidentified
as(notset).Image5.5showsthegeographicoriginsofthepeoplewhoaccessed
theprojectspageastheirfirsthitonthesitewithinthegiventimeframe.
GoogleAnalyticshasafunctionthatshowswhenduringavisittothesite,
agivenuseraccessedtheprojectspage,bychartingouttheorderthatpages
wereaccessed.Todoso,Analyticsusesthefollowingdesignations:starting
pages,firstinteraction,secondinteraction,thirdinteraction,andsoon.Thisdata
isusefulinunderstandingifpeoplevisitingthesiteweretherespecificallytosee
somethingontheprojectspage.InordertointerpretthisdataIwillmakethe
followingspeculations:Userswhodirectlyaccessedtheprojectspagewere
doingsofromalinkthatwassharedwiththem,foundthroughasocial
networkingsite,orwhichtheyfoundthroughasearchengine.Userswho
accessedtheprojectspageintheir1stinteractionwerelikelyalsovisitingthesite
specificallytoviewaproject,andlikelysearchedfortheURLofthehomepage,
eitherviaalinkoragainthroughasearchengine,andthennavigateddirectlyto
theprojectspage.Userswhoaccessedtheprojectspageintheirsecond
interactionofbeyond,werelikelyvisitingthesiteforapurposeotherthanthe
projectspage,butwithintheirsearchsawtheprojectspage,andthereforelikely
sawthesoundmap.
CnD!
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3$7*?!EE!$88*++*.!,)*!3$7*!$!+*8/%.!,#2*!I#,)#%!,)*#-!5#-+,!5/0-!#%,*-$8,#/%+!I#,)!
,)*!+#,*'!c/-J#%7!5-/2!,)*!$++023,#/%+!+,$,*.!$1/A*?!,)#+!I/04.!2*$%!,)$,!qm!
Go to this report
Aug 18, 2015 - Dec 18, 2015Users Flow
Country113 sessions, 56 drop-offsStarting pages
United Arab Emirates64
United States21
...5
Portugal3
India111555
New Zealand5
/projojo ects.html71
/27
/bio.html6
(2 more pages)3
/presentation.html3
/music.html3
⇩
© 2015 Google
pprojojo ect page13.52%
CnE!
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lF!0+*-+!A#+#,*.!,)*!+#,*!5/-!/,)*-!-*$+/%+'!O)*!&%$4:,#8+!54/I!8)$-,!/5!0+*-!
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H2$7*!o'F!;$3!+)/I#%7!2/2*%,+!/5!#%,*-$8,#/%!I#,)!,)*!I*1+#,*!I)*%!0+*-+!$88*++*.!,)*!3-/^*8,+!3$7*?!1*,I**%!&070+,!Em?!CDEn!<!"*8*21*-!Em?!CDEo'!
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A#$!=$8*1//J!I#,)#%!,)*!3*-#/.!I)*%!,)*!$%%/0%8*2*%,!I$+!3/+,*.?!,)*!
Go to this reportDiana Chester - http:///// www.dianachest…All Web Site Data
Aug 18, 2015 - Dec 18, 2015Users Flow
Country113 sessions, 56 drop-offs 57 sessions, 19 drop-offs 38 sessions, 12 drop-offs 26 sessions, 7 drop-offs 19 sessions, 6 drop-offs 13 sessions, 4 drop-offsStarting pages 1st Interaction 2nd Interaction 3rd Interaction 4th Interaction 5th Interaction
United Arab Emirates64
United States21
...5
Portugal3
India111555
New Zealand5
/projojo ects.html71
/27
/bio.html6
(2 more pages)3
/presentation.html3
/music.html3
///bbbiiiooo.hhhtttmmmlll8
(((444 more pages)))7
///phhhotttos.hhhtttmlll7
/projojo ects.html27
/4
/music.html4
///ppphhhoootttooosss..hhhtttmmmlll10
/projojo ects.html1144
/music/they...album.html4
/bio.html4
/3
(2 more pages)3
projojo ects.html13
music/theyy...album.html1
bio.html6
photos.html3
music.html2
presentation.html1
/bio.html2
///musiiic.hhhtttmlll7
/projojo ects.html5
/2
(2 more pages)2
/presentation.html1
photos.html3
projojo ects.html4
bio.html2
music.html2
music/theyy...album.html1
presentation.html1
⇩
© 2015 Google
pprojojo ect page13.52%
242
numbersareverylow,anditlikelydidnotraisemuchawarenessandaccessto
thesiteinthewaysIhadhoped.
Thechallengemovingforwardishowtoincreasethenumbersofpeople
whoaccessthesoundmap.BasedonthedatacollectedabovefromGoogle
AnalyticsIhavedevelopedseveralconclusionsregardingcreatingbetteraccess
tothemap,andhowtocollectmoreaccuratedataaboutvisitorstothesite.First
itwillbeimportanttodecouplethesoundmapfromtheprojectspageofthe
websiteandplaceitonitsownself-standingsite.Movingthelocationofthe
soundmaptoitsownwebpagemeansthatGoogleAnalyticscanbeapplied
directlytothatpage,allowingforbetterdatacollectiononthewaysthesound
mapisaccessed,fromwhere,andwithwhatfrequency.Relocatingthesound
maptoitsownpagewillalsoremoveanypossiblenavigationchallengesin
accessingthemap,asthesitewillbedirectlyaccessible,meaningthehomepage
isthemap,andalinkcanbeprovidedthatguidespeopledirectlytothemap,
whereasatpresentusersmustaccesstheprojectspageandthenclickonthe
soundmapicontolaunchtheembeddedmap.Additionally,oncethesiteis
standaloneitwillbeveryeasytoruntargetedteststhataimtodeterminehow
besttoguidepeopletothesite.Thiswouldentailmakingannouncementsabout
thesoundmapinasmanyplacesaspossible,includingFacebook,throughsearch
engines,viaotherblogsandwebsites,andthenrunninganalyticstodetermineif
peopleareaccessingthesiteviatheannouncementsonotherpages,providing
feedbackonthebestwaytogetthesitetothepublic.
Anotherveryimportantaspectofthisprojectisaskingpeoplefrom
aroundtheworldtocontributerecordingstothemap.Theprojecthasreceived
veryfewcontributionsfromthegeneralpublic,whichIbelieveisinlargepart
243
duetothefactthatthecurrentprocessforcontributingiscomplicated.Inorder
togrowtheprojectIwouldliketomaketheprocessofcontributingrecordings
andphotographsmorestreamlinedbyaddingdirectrecordanduploadfunctions
tothemobileversionofthenewproposedsoundmapsite,andinthefuturetoa
possiblesoundmapapplicationforsmartphones.
5.3.7 Limitations Workingintherealmofinteractivemedialedtomanyunintended
outcomesinthisproject,includingexaggeratedsimultaneoustransformationsof
multipleadhansduetohighvolumeintheexhibition,minimalquiettimewithin
theexhibitforpeopletoresettheirauralpalette,andfewinstancesofthenon-
transformedplaybackoftheadhan.Additionally,thedesignandimplementation
oftheexhibitionposedchallengestiedtocontentaswellastechnology.
WhilereworkingthisprojectforfutureexhibitionsIwouldchangea
varietyofparametersinthedesigninordertomitigatetheseunintended
outcomes,mostofwhichwouldpertaintotheprogrammingwithintheMax
patchthatcontrolstheaudiotransformationsandplayback.Inordertoprevent
theplaybackoftheadhanfrombeingsooverlyexaggerated,dueinlargepartto
allsensorsbeingtriggeredsimultaneously,Iwouldconsideraddingafunction
whereeachadhanwouldplaybackwithouttransformationatleastonetimein
everysixrepetitionsofplayback.Giventhatthereweresixadhansincorporated
intotheexhibition,thiswouldmeanthatwithinthefirstsixtimeseachadhan
wastriggeredtoplayback,oneofthosesixadhanswouldplaywithout
transformation,ideallycreatingasonicenvironmentwheretherewasalways
244
oneadhanplayingbackwithouttransformation.Thiswouldallowtheaudience
togainabettersenseoftherawrecording,whichwouldprovideimportant
perspectiveonthesonicdeviationthatwascreatedthroughtheirmovementin
thespace.
Inordertomeetthissameobjectiveoforientingthelistenertotheextent
ofthetransformation,aswellasthevariationcreatedbytheirmovements,I
wouldreconfigurethemaxpatchtoplaybackthebeginning15secondsofeach
adhanwithouttransformationsothatthelistenercouldorientthemselvestothe
recordingandthenhearthewaytheirmovementimpactedtherecording.This
ofcoursewouldposeachallengeinmaintainingtheaudience’sconnectionto
theirownparticipationinaugmentingtheaudio,inthatforthefirst15seconds
theirmovementwouldnotcreateanychange,whichcouldcauseconfusion.
Finally,inordertoaccomplishmoremomentsofsilenceoremptyspaceinthe
soundscape,Iwouldcreateafunctionintheprogramthatkepttrackofthe
playbacktimethathadelapsed,andtheninsertsomewherebetween30seconds
andoneminuteofspacebeforeanyoneadhanwouldrepeatplayback.
Onecriticalelementtolisteningtotheadhanistohearitinthenatural
sonicenvironmentofeverydaylifesurroundingthemosquewhereeach
recordingwasmade.Alloftherecordingsoftheadhanconsiderandcapture
theselocalenvironmentsthatincludetraffic,peopletalking,merchants,andthe
like.However,whilelisteningtotheadhanincontext,live,thenatural
environmentalsoundscapeisonlypepperedbytheadhan,ratherthanbeinga
constantcyclicalplaybackinthewayithasmanifestedinthisexhibition.One
elementofthelisteningexperiencethatwasinadvertentlyomittedfromthis
projectwasprovidinglistenerswithatruetoformlisteningenvironment,in
245
whichtheadhanisonlyapepperingofthesoundscapeseveraltimesaday.In
ordertoaccomplishtheaimoftheexhibition,theadhansoundsofteninthe
galleryspace,notsimplyfivetimesperday;however,itisimportanttoprovide
spacewithinthesoundscapecreatedinthegallery,asthatopennessinthe
soundscapeallowsforatypeoflisteningthataconstantsonicpresencedoesnot.
Withineach30-minutecycleoftheexhibitIwouldcreateseveralminutesof
silencewherenoadhanwouldsound,providingthelistenerswithabreakin
sonicstimulithatfeelscriticaltotheexperienceofhearingtheadhan.
Thesensitivenatureoftheadhanasareligiousrecitationcreated
challengesintheprocessofsettinguptheexhibition.InAbuDhabi,prayertime
ismarkedbytherecitationoftheadhaninallspacesacrossthecity.Whileina
shoppingmallorrestaurantduringthecalltoprayer,themusicisturnedoffand
thereissilence,orinsomeplacestheadhanisplayedoutloudindoors.In
preparingthisexhibitionIwasconcernedwithhowbesttosituatetheexhibitas
tonotoffendorupsetmemberswithinmylocalcommunity.Findingthe
appropriatespacewasthemainconsideration.Giventhesubjectmatterofthe
installationitwasnotappropriatefortheexhibittobeoutdoors,oropentothe
public,inparticularbecausetheexhibitplayedthecalltoprayeroutsideofthe
actualcalltimes,andbecauseofthetransformativeelementsintheplayback.
Forthesereasons,Idecidedtoholdtheexhibitioninaprivatehome,apop-up
galleryofsorts,heldinavacantapartmentthatafriendwasdaysawayfrom
leaving.TheapartmentwaslocatedstrategicallyindowntownAbuDhabi,ina
veryEmiraticommunity.
Onedownsideofholdingtheexhibitioninapop-upgalleryapartment
wasthatthespacewasnottreatedorpreparedforthistypeofinstallation,and
246
asaresultthereweremanysonicreflectionsinthespacefurthercontributingto
theechoingcacophony.Whiletheexhibitionwasnotnegativelyimpactedby
thesereflections,theambianceofpeople’ssideconversationsdidcausesome
challengestocapturingtheeffectwithinthespaceduringtheopening.People
werehavingregularconversationsinthespace,whichmadeitdifficultto
capturearecordingoftheexhibitionincontextwithoutsignificantsonic
disturbance.Iultimatelyaskedagroupofvisitorstoquietlywalkthroughthe
installationformetorecordit.
Oncetheambisonicrecordingwasmade,Ihadtolearntheambisonicaudio
workflow,whichhavingneverdoneitbeforeprovedquitedifficult.Thefirst
challengewasproperlyconfiguringaworkstationfortheambisonicrecordings
thathadtherequiredpluginsinstalledandworkingwithmyDAW.Oncethe
workstationwasconfiguredproperly,decisionsneededtobemadeaboutthe
bestDAWfortheambisoniccompositionandeditingprocess.UltimatelyIended
upusingdifferenttoolstore-encode,edit,andcompose.
5.4 SectionFour:Conclusion
5.4.1 Conclusion
Oneaimoftheexhibitionwasforaudiencemembers’experiencestobe
jarring,andfortheexhibittoimpacttheirauralsenseofplace.Thetargeted
audiencewascomprisedofexpatswholiveinaplacethatsoundsthecallto
prayer.Thistargetaudiencebroughtwiththemtheexperienceofbeing
outsider-insiderstotheArabworldandthecalltoprayer.Whilemostofthe
audiencehadnotgrownupwithinIslamoracommunitywherethecalltoprayer
247
sounded,makingthemoutsiderstotheexperience,theyallwereatthetimeof
theexhibitionlivinginAbuDhabi,whichalsomadetheminsiderstothecity,and
thereforefamiliarwithhearingtheadhandailyinAbuDhabi.Thisoutsider-
insiderdesignationissignificantbecauseoftheperspectiveitgivestheaudience
inbeingabletohearthingsthatothersmightnot.Theaudiencetotheexhibition
werelikelyfamiliarwiththeadhanandabletohearitasafamiliarsound,not
threateningorjarring,withoutjudgmentthatmightbeassociatedwiththe
adhanincertainplacesaroundtheworld.Additionally,theaudiencemembers
werelargelynotthemselvesMuslim,allowingthemtohearthetransformations
totheadhan,whilenotexperiencingthetransformationsasaugmentationsof
theirholytextorasoffensive.
Asmentionedpreviously,inIslam,likesomeotherreligioustraditions,
therecitationoftheQur’anorthecalltoprayerisnotconsideredmusical;infact,
itisconsideredproblematictospeakofthesetraditionsasmusical.Itwasrisky
todevelopaprojectthatessentiallyre-composesrecordingsoftheadhan,or
withinthecontextoftheexhibitionforhumanbeingsandtheirmovementto
becomethedriversinre-composingthesefieldrecordings,soIwantedmy
audiencetobethosewhowouldbeopentohearinganaugmentedcalltoprayer.
Theseexpatriatesknewwhatthecallsoundedlikeperhapseventothe
extentthattheywerenumbtothesound,meaningitwasafamiliarandcommon
soundscapetothem.Theideaoftheexhibitionwastoputthattargetgroupinto
afamiliarsoundscapeenvironmentthatisaugmented,andtoconnectthat
augmentationtotheirmovement.Thehopewasthatthiswouldcreate
awarenessintheaudienceofthewaytheirinteractionwiththespacewas
248
changingthesoundstheywerehearing,tocallattentiontothesubjectivenature
ofhearing.
Wetendtochoosewhatwepayattentionto.Evenifweliveinan
environmentsurroundedbyadailysoundscape,itisachoicetolistencarefully
orpayattentiontothesounds.Iwanted,withthisexhibit,toprovokeanuanced
understandingofsoundspeoplehavebecomeaccustomedto.Whilewemay
knowsomethingaboutthesoundswehearregularly,thereismuchwedon’t
know,especiallyaboutthesoundswetakeforgranted.Wemaynotknowmuch
aboutasoundbeyonditssonicqualities,whichmayblendintothebackdropof
thesoundscapeofourlives.Ifwetaketheexampleofapersonwholivesina
largecitylikeNewYork,itislikelythatthepersonhearssirensinthe
backgroundoftheircitysoundscapeconstantly;however,theymaynotbeable
toclearlyidentifywhenasirenisforanambulanceorapolicecar,orafiretruck.
Andbecausetheyhearthesoundoften,theymightnolongerregisterthatthe
soundsignifiesthatsomeoneishurtordying—inotherwords,thatthereisa
specifichumanexperienceontheotherendofthatsoundthatisacallfor
empathy.
Thisexhibitionreliedonavariedchangingdynamic.Eachtimeaperson
wasinthespace,whattheyheardchangedastheirpresenceandmovement
changedtheoutcomeofthesonicelementsoftheexhibition.Inotherwords,the
peopleinthespacechangedtheresultingsoundscapeofthespace.Theaimof
theexhibitionwastoplacepeopleinanenvironmentwheretheircommon
inattentivehearingpracticesweredisruptedbytheirinteraction.Ineffect,this
exhibitionattemptedtotrainpeopletolisteninamoreattentiveandfocused
way.Itispossibleforustolearnhowtodifferentiatebetweendifferentsounds
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wemighttakeforgranted;howeverinordertodoso,weneedtoengageina
listeningstudyandchoosetofocusonwhatwehear.
Thisexhibitionhadmanyunintendedoutcomes,bothonanartisticlevel,
aswellaswithregardtoaudienceexperience.Whiletheexhibitionintendedto
focuspeople’slisteningonthesonicnuanceofthecalltoprayer,thesoundmap
seemedtoaccomplishthismuchmoreeffectivelythantheexhibition.Icould
imaginefutureiterationsoftheexhibitionwherelessonslearnedfromthefirst
exhibitionwouldallowfortheintendedoutcomestobebetteraccomplished.I
haveideasforavarietyofdifferentwaysofpresentingthematerial,especially
aroundtheuseofphysicalengagementwithmaps,andvideomappingtoolsto
createphysicalpresenceofplace.Onesuchideawouldbetomakealargemap
oftheworldthatwouldliveonthefloor,whichpeoplecouldtouchandwalkon.
Thismapwouldhaveembeddedpressuresensorsundereachplacewherethe
soundmaphasarecordingoftheadhan.Steppingonthatplacewouldallowthe
persontotriggerthecalltoprayer.Steppingonitasecondtimewouldallow
themtostoptheplayback.Thefloormap,wouldallowpeopletoengagewiththe
world,physically,therelationshipbetweencountries,throughdistancewalked,
awarenessofbodiesofwater,inblue,continents,andplaces.Themapwould
providevisitorsanopportunitytocorrelatethedifferentadhanstheychooseto
play,withthecitiesandcountriesonthemapwheretheyarelocated,thiswill
helpbringastrongerconnectedofplaceandspacetothemap.Apossible
expandedexhibitionmightincludeaprojectedreelwithimagesanddatasheetof
themosque,andtheplacefromwhereeachadhanislocated,thatwillproject
ontothenearbyceilingorwallwhentheadhanistriggered.
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Idiscoveredthatthroughourowninteractionwiththerecordingsofthe
calltoprayer,aswellasourphysicalinteractionwithsensorsandphotographs,
wecreatedanalternaterealitythatwasactuallymorehauntingthanthereality.
ThiswasnotanintendedoutcomehoweverIlearnedthroughinterviewswith
audiencemembersoftheexhibitionthatitwasasharedexperience.Thismaybe
inpartduetotechnicallimitationsonmyside,asIwasexploringthe
developmentofthisexhibitionthroughnewsoftwaretools,includingArduino
andMaxMSP,whichIdidnothavealotofpreviousexperiencewith.
Whentheexhibitionspacewasempty,theadhansoundedbeautiful.Itis
onlywhenpeoplewalkintothespacethatthesoundbecomesloud,jarring,and
cacophonous.WhileIsetouttoprovokeaudiencemembersintohearingthecall
toprayerinanewway,perhapsthisprojectbecameacommentaryontherole
humanbeingsplayinaugmentingourownandothers’perceptionsofwhatwe
hear.Ourparticipationcreatedahauntingsound,remindingusthatlistening
isn’tobjective—ourpresenceaslistenershasthepowertoalterwhatwehear.
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6 Discussion
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6.Discussion
6.1 SectionOne:Introduction
6.1.1 Introduction
Comparingandcontrastingthesethreecasestudiescanprovideinsight
intotherolecreativeresponsecanplayinarchivingandcollections
development,aswellastherelationshipbetweencreativeresponseand
mediatinghumaninteractioninethnographicresearch.InthischapterIwill
discusskeyideasthathaveemergedfromplacingthesethreecasestudiesin
conversationwithoneanother.Specifically,Iwilldiscuss1)theroleandimpact
ofcreativeresponseonintergenerationalarchivebuilding,2)theethical
considerationsoftheoutsider-insiderapproachtoresearch,3)theroleofhuman
mediationincreativeresponse,and4)theroleoftechnologicalmediationin
creativeresponse.
Itiswidelyacceptedthatallethnographicresearchersshouldimmerse
themselves,tovaryingdegrees,inthehostcommunity,asthishelpstofoster
trustbetweenthecommunityandresearcher.Thequestionishowbesttobuild
thisrelationshipwhileretainingtherequisitelevelofobjectivity.Whatmy
researchaimstodoisleanintothisexchangeoftrustbuilding,asanecessary
firststepinusingcreativeresponseasatoolforimmersionintothecommunity.
Anytimeanoutsideobservercomesintoacommunitythereisaninevitable
changeordisruptiontothatcommunity.Thereisalevelofinterpretation
inherentinallsuchexchanges.Itiscommonandacceptedwithinethnographic
practiceforanobservertogainthetrustandacceptanceofacommunity;
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howevertherehasbeenalinedrawnabouttheextenttowhichsubjective
experiencecanbeapartofthatinterpretation.
Theideaofaresearcherservingasacollaboratorandnotasastrict
observeris,onthesurface,adeparturefromtraditionalethnographicresearch.
However,contemporaryresearchthatlooksatwaysdigitalmethodologiesare
redefiningethnographicpractices,asarticulatedinPinketal.(2015)supports
theideathattheresearcher’srolemightbemoreexpansivethanstrictlythatof
observer(p.2).Pinketal.exploretheimpactofnewapproachesto
ethnographicresearchdesign,aswellastheimpactofthesedesignsonthe
engagementbetweenresearcherandcommunity.Theysay,“Digital
ethnography,ifitistobeundertakenattheseintersectionsbetweenacademic
disciplinesandexternalpartners,becomesanopenandflexibleresearchdesign,
whichcanbeshapedinrelationtotheparticularresearchquestionswhichit
asks”(2015,p.11).Arguably,thisapproachtodesigningresearchallowsfor
customizationbasedontheevolvingrelationshipbetweentheresearchand
collaborationwithagivencommunity.
OneadditionaltensionIhaveexperiencedwhilewritingthispaper,which
furtherpushestheboundariesoftheroleofresearcher,isthedividebetweenthe
practicalandtheoreticalrealmsofresearch.Asanartspractitionerand
researcher,myworkconsiderstheintersectionsofthesetwoarenas,andmy
creativepracticeisoftenembeddedinmyresearch,asillustratedinthecase
studiesinthisthesis.MyrolewithinthecommunitieswhereIconductresearch
isthereforethatofresearcherandartist,observerandparticipant.Iwilldiscuss
herecreativeresponseasamethodwithinethnographiccontextsthatallowsfor
thejoiningofthetheoreticalresearchandpracticalcontribution.
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Creativeresponseisatthecenterofbroaderresearchforthisthesis,
whichisbestsituatedwithintherealmofdigitalethnography,describedbyPink
etal.,asa“…practicethattakesasitsstartingpointtheideathatdigitalmedia
andtechnologiesarepartoftheeverydayandmorespectacularworldsthat
peopleinhabit.”(2015,p.7).Beingapractitionerwithinone’sownresearchhas
becomemorecommoninthearenaofdigitalethnography,andaccordingtoPink
etal.,“thereisincreasingdiscussionofthedigitalasafieldinwhichwepractice
asmuchasweanalyse”(2015,p.8).Iwillusethisdiscussionsectiontolookat
theoverlapandintersectionswithinthethreecasestudies,withaneyetoward
therolecreativeresponseplaysinthedevelopmentofarchivalmaterial.Iam
particularlyinterestedinconsideringthespecificbenefitsofcreativeresponse
forarchiving,thechallengesandlimitationsoftheprocess,thebenefitsof
creativeresponsetotheresearcherandthecommunity,andthemediation
process,inherentwithinexhibitsdevelopedthroughcreativeresponse,that
takesplacebetweenhumansandtechnology.
6.1.2 IntergenerationalArchiveBuilding
Thissectionwilllookattherelationshipbetweenintergenerationalwork
thatwascreatedwithintheLWFandTheyyamchapters,andthewaysinwhich
simultaneouslycapturingsubjectivehumanexperiencefrommultiple
generationsenhancesarchivaldocumentationandchangesthereachandscope
ofthearchive.Iwasinfactaimingforacreativeresponse,whichparticularlyin
thecaseofLestWeForgetenabledricherinteractionsbetweengenerations.The
workdiscussedinthisthesisusescreativeresponsetoconsiderhowmultiple
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generationscanimpactoneanother’smemory,perspective,andexperienceofa
community’sculturalheritage.Thismergingofgenerationalexperienceinthe
samearchiveallowsforarepresentationofacommunity,festival,orculturethat
ismoredynamicinitsconsiderationoftheimpactchangehasonhuman
experienceandtheevolutionofcultureandheritage.
Thecollectivememoryofmultiplegenerationscanrevealamorecohesive
pictureofanevent,orafestivalortradition,asseeninthecurrentmomentin
timeaseachgenerationbringsauniqueviewandperspectivetothewaythe
documentationisconstructed.Theoverlapandsynergiesthatarerevealed
throughthelayeringofexperiencesofmultiplegenerationsofTheyyam
performers,forexample,revealsdetailsabouttheartistcommunitythatone
mightexpect,aswellasmoreindepthinformationthroughanhistoricand
economiclens.Thisincludesinformationaboutperformances,facemakeup,and
changesovertimethatareever-presentfortheoldergenerationsteepedinthe
performingart,aswellasanexplanationofthewaythatanevolvingIndiaanda
dramaticallychangingworldeconomyhaveimpactedtheroletheyounger
generationplaysinthefamilystructureandthereforefolkloretradition,often
relocatingforwork,leavingagapinyoungertrainedperformers.Thedetails
andnuancesrevealedthroughthesedifferentgenerationalperspectivesonthe
festivalhelppaintaclearerimageoftheevolutionofthefestivaloverthepast50
years,forexamplemovingfromasmallvillageritualtoatelevisedevent
attendedbythousands,arguablyprovidesforeshadowingintofuturedynamics
ofthefestival.Eachnewgeneration’sexperiencebringsimportantcounterpoint
tothearchivaldocumentationofanyothergenerationthatmightexistina
standalonecapacity.InthecaseoftheLestWeForgetproject,creativeresponse
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notonlygavethegirlsaccesstotheirparents’andgrandparents’memoriesand
experiences,butitgotthegirlsinterestedinthehistoryofaculturethat
primarilylooksforward,towardthefuture.Onesuchexamplewasthegirls’
nostalgiafortheoldstructuralVolcano,nowdemolished,thatwasonthebeach
indowntownAbuDhabiandwhichfeaturedheavilyinoldfamilyphotographs.
Everyfamilyseemedtohaveseveralphotographsshotinfrontofthevolcano.
Thegirlsdecidedtorecreateabackdropwiththevolcanoonitthatwashungin
thegalleryatWarehouse421,wherevisitorscouldtakepicturesinfrontofit,in
memoryoftheoldvolcanopictures.Archivingculturalheritagebyengaging
multiplegenerationsofacommunityallowsforthecollectionofmoredatainthe
formofstories,oralhistories,andmemoriesthatwhenlookedatcollectively,
providesamorerobusthistoricpictureofthecommunityandthefestival.
6.1.3 EthicalConsiderationsfortheOutsider-Insider
Creativeprojectshavetheabilitytoengagepeopleonamoresubjective
levelthantraditionalobservationalapproachescan,whichleadsto
documentationthatcancaptureadeeperexplorationofhumanexperience.This
iswheretheoutsider-insiderdynamicplaysanimportantroleinthiswork.As
researchersweoftenplaytheroleoftheoutsider,whichmeanswefunctionasif
behindacurtainorwithinacontextwherethespaceweleavebetweenourselves
andthoseweobservecreateslargegaps,wheretranslationisoftenproblematic.
Thesegapscanhaveanimpactonthedocumentationofthatcommunityor
event.Byemployingcreativeresponsetechniques,artistsandcreativescholars
alikecanbreakdowntheseboundaries,orgaps,traditionallysetinplace.While
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maintainingthestatusofobserver,theprocessofparticipatinginthismodality
ofresearchcanservetoenhancemoretraditionalresearchpractices.This
processmovestheresearcherfromthestatusofoutsidertooneofoutsider-
insider.Whiletheresearcherisnotamemberofthecommunity,theyalsodo
notaimtocreateboundariesbetweenthemselvesandthosewhotheyobserve
anddocument.Theobservedhasanimpact-aresonance-ontheobserver,but
traditionalethnographicmethodsseektodelaytheexposureofthisresonance
ontotheartifactthatisproducedasaconsequenceoftheinitialcontact(e.g.,a
paper,abook,etc.).Byallowingthisresonancetoemergeintheformof
somethingthatisfullyperceivedassubjective/creative,creativeresponsecan
helptotriggeranumberofimportantelementsincludingthought,discussions,
memory,sharing.
Ratherthanprivilegingthepastorpresent,thisapproachtoarchival
documentationspeakstoacontinuouspresent,anideaintroducedbyGertrude
Steininher1926essay,“CompositionasExplanation.”InheressayStein
describesacontinuouspresentasaprocessofunderstandingthingsby
acknowledgingtheconnectednessbetweenthemthatinvariablybeginsagain
andagain,andwhichremainsthesame,butisseendifferentlybasedonthelens
throughwhichdifferentpeoplesee(Stein,1925).Whenthisbarrierbetweenthe
differentwayspeopleseethingsisdissolved,thatwhichexistswithinbecomes
moreporous,allowingforgreaterexchangeanddeeperunderstanding.This
approachcomplementsthetraditionalroleofresearcherasobserver,withthe
goalofmaintainingdistanceordetachmentfromthatwhichwestudy,asit
allowsustoworkfromabroaderviewpointwithamoremeasuredperspective
onthatwhichweresearch.
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Creativeresponserequiresthatweengagewithpeopleandtheir
experiences,andthatweserveasaconduitthroughwhichcommunitymembers
canaccessfeelingsandmemoriesinordertocreatesomethingrepresentativeof
thatexperience.WhiletheaimofmyworkwiththeLestWeForgetProjectwas
toteachthegirlsaboutdigitalnarrativeandthetechnicalityofrecordersand
editingtools,thebulkofourworktogetherreliedonourabilitytolearnabout
andrelatetooneanother’sexperiences.Thisexchangeofstoriesandtrustwasa
necessaryfirststepindevelopingcreativeresponsestoarchivalmaterial.
WhatremainsthesameintraditionalethnographyandtheapproachIam
discussingisgainingthetrustofthecommunitieswithwhichwework.Through
creativityandresponsethatlookstowardsharedexperiences,oralhistories,
digitalmodalities,andcreativeapproachestosharinganddocumentation,
differentgenerationsareengagedtosharetheirstoriesandmemoriesplayfully,
honestly,openly,andwithenthusiasmthatisnotalwaysmatchedbymore
traditionalapproaches.Notunlikethedifferencesofteachingstudents
Shakespearethroughthetext,versusactingoutthescenesinastageproduction,
collectingculturalhistoryandheritageisamoreengagingprocesswhen
conductedthroughacreativelens.
6.1.4 Listening
TheTheyyamexhibition,liketheSonicStoryboard,aimstoinspireactive
listeningwithinparticipants.People’sinteractionwiththespacedidnotchange
thesoundscapeintheEverydayLifeexhibition;rather,theintentionwasforthe
soundscapetochallengepeople’sperceptions,aswhattheyareusedtohearing
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inTheyyamandwhattheyheardintheexhibitionwerenotthesame.The
intentionwastomakethesoundscapesomewhatjarringinasimilarwaytothe
SonicStoryboard,sothatpeoplecoulddecidewhetherornottheylikedwhat
theyheard,andsothattheyweretakenoutoftheirfamiliarexperienceand
compelledtore-seeandre-hearthefestivalthroughneweyesandears.The
soundspeoplearefamiliarwithhearingareoftentheoneswesomewhattune
outorpaylessattentionto,whilethosethataredifferentorfamiliarbutputina
differentcontextcanshockusintoobservation.
Whatisdifferentaboutthesetwoexhibitionsaretheaudiences,and
thereforethetwoexhibitionswereshapeddifferently.FortheEverydayLife
exhibit,theaudiencewasmadeupTheyyamperformersandvillagerswhowere
familiarwithTheyyam.Theaugmentationofwhattheaudienceheardwas
thereforeminor,inpartbecausetheaudiencewassoattunedtothesonic
materialthattheywouldperceiveeventhesmallestchange.Theexhibitionwas
moreare-compositionofsoundthanafocusonaugmentation.Thiswasdonein
partbecause,asthepersontransformingtherecordings,Iwasnotcomfortable
dramaticallyaugmentingthesounds,asIdidn’tfeelIhadtherightasan
outsider.ThisisindirectcontrasttotheSonicStoryboardproject,wherethe
audiencemembersweretheonesaffectingthesound.
TheaudienceoftheEverydayLifeexhibitwasmadeupofpeoplewhohad
alargestakeintheproject,andsomeofwhomwereupsetbytheminor
deviationsfromthetraditionalsounds.Theaudienceforthesonicstoryboard
project,ontheotherhand,wascomprisedofexpatriatesintheArabworld,most
ofwhomwhowerenotMuslims,andwhodidnotexpressbeingupsetor
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offendedbytheaugmentationtheywerecreating.Inthisway,theexhibitions
wereverydifferentapproachestoaverysimilaridea.
InTheyyam,thecreativeresponseelementsoftheresearchwereheavily
tiedtotheexhibition.TheTheyyamfestivalisofcourseintergenerational,in
thatTheyyamartistspassdowntheirtraditionalartformandpracticetotheir
childrenthroughoraltraditionandapprentice-liketraining.Theexhibitionand
projectthatDhanarajandIworkedonwasinterestedinhowusingcreative
responsetomaterialcapturedwithinthefestivalcouldhelptochangepeople’s
perspectiveandmentality.Agitationcanthereforebeprogress.
InLestWeForget,thecreativeresponsewasarguablythethingthat
allowedpeopletowanttoexplorenewthings.Itbecame,aswell,theimpetusfor
multiplegenerationstolistenmorecloselytoeachother,asthepersonal
commitmentonehaswhenempoweredbythemissionofproducingartworkis
verydifferentfromtheimpetusofdocumentingotherpeople’sexperiences.For
example,awomanwhosedaughterwasheavilyinvolvedintheprojectagreedto
commentonaphotographfromtheirhomealbumthroughavideointerview
whereshespokeofherexperiencemovingfromEgypttotheUAEtogetmarried
andhaveafamily.Herdaughter’senthusiasmandparticipationendedupbeing
contagious,andthemotherfoundherselfbecominginterestedinparticipatingin
theprojectherself.Herdaughterwasabletolearnmoreabouther,andvice
versa.Forthemotherbeinglistenedtowasapowerfulformofvalidationina
culturethathistoricallyprivilegesthemen’sexperiencesoverthewomen’s.
InLestWeForget,creativitywasuseddirectlytointentionallychange
somethinginordertoshareit.Augmentingandchangingmaterialmadeit
somethingthatcouldbepreserved.HoweverinTheyyam,theintentionbehind
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augmentingorchangingthematerialwastobeabletocreatesocialchange
withinacommunitythroughdiscomfortandde-familiarizingthematerial.
6.1.5 CreativeResponseThroughHumanMediation
Allthreeprojectsengagewithsonicarchivalmaterial,andtheyallaimto
createsonicarchivalmaterialthroughtheprocessofcreativeresponse.
However,theprojectsengagepeopledifferentlywiththissonicmaterial.HereI
willdiscussspecificdifferencesintherolehumanbeingsplayedasmediatorsof
sonicmaterialintheLestWeForgetandSonicStoryboardprojects.TheLWF
projectwascomprisedmostlyofdigitalnarrativesandrecordingsoforal
histories,whiletheSonicStoryboarddealtprimarilywithfieldrecordings.The
maindifferenceinthewaythesonicmaterialswereusedinthesetwoprojects
pertainstohowtheywerecreativelyrecomposed.InLWF,thesonicmaterial
waschangedandrecomposedthroughhumaninteraction.Intheexamples
discussedintheLWFchapter,thegirlssharedwithoneanothertheirown
experiencesintheformoffamilyhistoriesandstories,andthroughtheprocess
ofdiscussionwiththeirpeersandcreativeresponse,thegirlswereableto
developconnectionsbetweentheirpersonalandfamilyexperiencesandthoseof
theirbroadercommunity.IntheSonicStoryboardproject,theparticipantswere
notabletomediatetheprocessofcreativeresponseinthesameway.Herethe
participants’movementsinthegallerytransformedtherecordedsoundsofthe
adhan;however,theparticipantsdidnothavecontroloverhowthat
transformationoccurred,asthoseaspectsweremediatedbythetechnology
drivingtheexhibit.InLWF,theparticipants’involvementandinterpretation
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augmentedandenhancedthestoriesheardbyaudiencemembersattendingthe
gallery,whileintheSonicStoryboardproject,theparticipantsmovementsand
engagementwiththegalleryaugmentedoneanother’sexperience.However,the
technologyoftheexhibitultimatelydeterminedwhatthatexperiencewouldbe.
Participantswereaugmentingtheadhanthroughtheirmovementinthe
exhibition,notbecausetheywantedto,butbecausetheactofsteppingintothe
exhibitionspacemeanttheywerebydefaultparticipatingintheaugmentation.
IntheLWFproject,therewasanactiveelementtoparticipation;people
neededtowanttobeapartofit.Whiletechnologywasatoolformediationin
theprocess—througheditingsoftware,audiorecorders,andimagemanipulation
tools—thetechnologicalinfluenceintheexhibitwascontrolledbytheextent
thatpeoplewerecomfortableaugmentingorchangingthatcontent.Thesetwo
projectsaresimilarinthatbotharerespondingtoarchivalmaterialandending
upwithasonicreference;however,theyaremarkedlydifferentinthatthe
peoplewhoparticipatedintheaugmentationwithintheSonicStoryboard
projectdidnothaveanycontrolovertheparametersthattheywereaugmenting,
asthesewerepre-set.
Thesetwoprojectsarealsosimilarintheiruseofphotographsandsonic
material.IntheSonicStoryboardproject,photographswereusedtocapture
people’sattentionanddrawthemintotheexhibition.LWFisthesameinthis
way,asitisanexhibitionbuiltaroundaphotographicexhibition.Theother
elementsoftheexhibitderivemeaningfromthephotographiccollection.Thisis
similartoTheSonicStoryboard,wherethephotographswereorganizedto
capturepeople’sinterest,thenaperson’smovementtowardorawayfroma
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photograph—becauseoftheirinterestinit—triggeredmanipulationorchanges
tothecalltoprayer.
IntheLWFproject,thecommunitywasgalvanizedaroundfamilies
contributingphotographstothedevelopingarchive,whichweretheimpetusfor
intergenerationalconversations,aswellascreativeresponseintheformof
storytelling,videomaking,digitalnarratives,painting,andtherecordingoforal
histories.Theexhibitwasalsoorganizedinawaythathighlightedtheintegral
natureofthephotographs.Thefirstroomoftheexhibitionspaceheldalarge
tableofphotographs,whichviewerscouldwalkaroundandobserve;however,in
ordertoaccesstheassociatedsonicmaterialsonewouldneedtotakeoutacell
phoneanddialtheappropriatenumberfortheassociatingdigitalnarrative.In
theSonicStoryboardproject,moreliketheTheyyamproject,aperson’sdecision
towalkintotheexhibitionspaceissynonymoustoengagingwiththevisualand
sonicmaterialsimultaneously.
Thiselementofcontrolbringsupimportantquestionsabouthowhuman
versustechnologicalmediationleavesusfeelingaboutourabilitytocontrolthe
spaceandourinvolvementwithinit.Doestechnologicalmediationprovoke
discomfortorakindofease?Doesitevokeasenseoffreedomandplayora
desireformorecontrol?Howdowerespondinthefaceoftechnological
mediation,andwhatdowewantand/orexpectfromit?InTheyyamandthe
SonicStoryboard,theaudiencesarethrownintospacesthattheycannotcontrol,
whereasinLWF,theaudiencehasmorefreedomtoengagewiththeexhibitas
theyseefit;however,thingsarecarefullycontrolled—ifyoupickupatelephone
yougetapre-recordedvoicethatwillnotchange.IntheTheyyamexhibit,the
radicaltechnologicalaugmentationmadesomeaudiencemembers
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uncomfortable,whileitpiquedtheinterestofothers,suchasthecollege-aged
boyswhowantedtoseeindetailhowthingsworked.
Towhatextentdoesinteractivitymakeusmore(orless)comfortable
withtechnologicalmediation?Insomeinstances,liketheSonicStoryboard
exhibit,audiencemembersparticipatedsimplybyenteringtheexhibit,andso
interactivitywasnotsomethingtheycouldcontrol.Audiencememberswho
walkedintothegallerydidnotneedtowanttoparticipate,buttheirvery
engagementwiththeexhibitionaugmentedandchangedthespaceand
soundscapedramaticallyinawaythateverybodyelsewasaffectedby.However,
theycouldbecomeplayfulaboutitoncetheyunderstoodwhatwashappening,
experimentingwithhowtheirmovementsaffectedthesonicsoundscape.
Thiskindoftechnologicalmediationhighlightstheimpactouractions,
andinsomecasesinactions,canhaveononeanother;itasksus,aswell,how
awareweareofthisimpact.Andifweweretogoonestepfurther,itaskswhat
wearewillingtodoaboutitonceweunderstandourparticipation,however
unwittingly,inthesymbioticrelationshipbetweencultures.Inthecaseofthe
SonicStoryboardexhibit,thetechnologicalmediationofthecreativeresponse
provokedpeopletothinkabouthowtheirseeminglyinnocentpresenceand
“mereobservation”ofthecalltoprayeractuallyaugmentedit,callinginto
questionnotonlywhattheywerehearing,butthenatureoflisteningand
observingaswell.
Similarly,wemightthinkaboutthewaysinwhichmanypeopleinthe
UnitedStateswhobelievetheyaremerelywitnessingeventsintherestofthe
worldareactuallyparticipatinginIslamaphobia,whetherornottheyintendto,
becausetheirperspectivesandopinionsonthematteraresculptedbyconstant
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images,mediacoverage,politicalcampaigning,televisionportrayals,and
messagingthatisanti-Islamic.Peoplewhohaveassumedanti-Islamicbeliefs
throughsocialconditioningdonotneedtopushabuttonordialinanumberin
ordertoperpetuatetheirbeliefs;butratherbytalkingandparticipatinginaway
thatperpetuatestherhetoricofthenews,television,andpoliticalcampaigns,
theyareeffectivelyperpetuating,andinsomecases,evenchangingtheway
peoplethinkaboutIslamandMuslims.Whatmightchangeforthebetterifmore
peoplebecameawareofthewaysinwhichtheir“witnessing”eventsthrough
technologicalmediation—inthiscaseoftenskewed—wasactuallycontributing
totheshapingofthoseevents?
6.1.6 CreativeResponseThroughTechnologicalMediation Onegoalofallthreeoftheprojectshighlightedinthisdissertationwasto
developacollectionofarchivalmaterials,inthiscaselargelyrecordings,that
couldbeutilizedbythecommunitieswherethesourcematerialoriginated.The
Theyyamprojectaccomplishedthisbygivingfieldrecordingsandre-composed
audiocompositionsfromtheexhibittotheKeralaFolkloreAkademi,alocal
culturalcenterforallthingsTheyyam,touseastheyseefit.Theserecordings
werehandedoverwithassociatedmetadatawhereverpossible,includingdateof
recordingandassociatedTheyyamperformance.Mostoftheaudiofileswere
handedoverin.mp3and.wavformatsandallwererecordedatafrequencyof
44.1khz,at24bits.ProvidingtheserecordingstotheAkademiwasdonewith
theintentionthatthematerialsshouldbeeasilyaccessibletoTheyyamartists
andmembersofTheyyamcommunitiesacrosstheNorthernMalabarregionof
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Kerala,aswellastootherresearcherswhomaycontacttheAkademilookingfor
similarrecordings.TherecordingswerealsosharedwithDhanarajforhisusein
additionalcreativeprojects.InthecaseofLestWeForget,allrecordingsand
digitalnarrativescreatedwithandfortheprojectwereuploadedtothecontent
managementsystemofthearchiveandincludedinthecollection,with
associatedmetadata,andavarietyofqualitycompressionformatsforusewithin
publicfacingexhibitionsandforarchivalpreservation.
TheapproachandtoolsusedfortechnologicallymediatedworksthatI
describedintheSonicStoryboardcasestudysupporteddatacollectionthat
revealedinformationabouttheaudienceorusersofthespacethatwouldnot
otherwisebeknown.IntheLWFexhibit,thistypeofdatawasnotcaptured,
whileothertypeswere.Forexample,whileitwaspossibletotrackthenumber
ofvisitorstothephotographtablewhodialedinthenumberofanaudiofileand
listenedtoit,thereisnodatatodrawonabouttheirexperienceofdoingthis.
WhereasintheSonicStoryboardexhibition,arecordofpeople’smovementin
theexhibitionwascapturedthroughanambisonicmicrophoneandthroughthe
datacollectedbywayoftheultrasonicsensors.Theambisonicdatacouldbe
reconfiguredafterthefactandspacializedinavarietyofdifferentwaystore-
conceptualizeandexpresswhathappenedintheexhibition.Anumberofthe
parametersoftherecordingcouldbechanged,includingthepositionorlocation
fromwheretherecordingwastaken,theelevationofthemicrophoneplacement,
andthepresenceoftherecording.Thereissomethingpoeticinthisabilityto
infinitelyreproduce,augment,andchangearecordingofanexhibitionthatitself
focusedonaugmentationofrecordings.
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TheSonicStoryboardprojectisdifferentinmanywaysfromtheTheyyam
andLestWeForgetprojects.AprimarydifferenceisthathereIworkedalone
andthroughcrowdsourcedcontributions,butnotdirectlywithalocal
collaboratorasIhadinthetwopreviousprojects.Asaresultsomeofthe
aspectsofthisprojectwerearguablymorerawandconnectedtoan
investigationofmyowninquiries,ratherthanconnectedtoorbasedonsomeone
else’sideas.Italsomeansthatthepresentationoftheprojectwasnotmediated
throughthelensofalocalcollaboratorandthereforerantheriskofbeingless
sensitivetotheneedsandexpectationsofthelocalcommunity.
6.1.7 Conclusion
Placingthesecasestudiesalongsideoneanotherallowsforacloserlook
attheworkofdevelopingcreativeresponsestoculturalheritage,andforcritical
comparisonintheprocessofdoingsointhreedifferentcommunities.Thiswork
considersthewaysinwhichcreativeresponsecontributestothesustainability
ofculturalheritageandtradition,bylookingatthebenefitsandlimitations
inherentinthemethodofcreativeresponse.Whiletherewerechallengesand
unexpectedoutcomes,suchasthediscomfortmysonicaugmentationcreatedin
theTheyyamexhibition,inallthreecases,thecreativeresponsesultimately
createdpositiveoutcomesthattraditionalarchivingwouldnothaveyielded.In
fact,thevillager’sdiscomfortitself,intheTheyyamexhibit,servesascritical
archivaldocumentationofthesubjectivehumanexperienceoftheTheyyam
Festival.Thecreativeresponseoftheexhibitcreatedopportunitiesforvillagers
andartiststocontributerespond,inturn,tous.Welearnedasmuchaboutthe
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communityfromtheirparticipationandfeedbackaswedidfromobservingthe
festivalandmakingtheexhibit.
Thisideaofcapturingsubjectivehumanexperienceofthemomentinan
archivaldocumentation,orimprintinginformationofthetime,withinthe
archivaldocumentation,hasalwaysbeenimportanttoarchivists.Thiswas
traditionallyaccomplishedthroughtheuseofmetadatatags,orpriorto
computerdocumentation,throughcardcatalogsandwrittendocumentationthat
providedimportantinformationassociatedwiththematerialbeingarchived,
includingdates,geographiclocations,andsoon.Inpresentday,manyarchives
employtheuseofdatastoragetoolsthatallowmetadatatobeinputalongside
theartifactbeingdocumented,sothatasimplerecallofaparticularobjectwithin
acollectionwillsimultaneouslyshowtheartifactandallassociatedmetadata
thatisstoredwithinthecollection.
However,itseemsthatatruedigitalimprint,ameansofcapturinghuman
experiences,eventsofthetime,andcontext-relatedinformationaboutthe
artifact,withinthearchivalmaterialitself,thetimetheyexist,thegeographyand
possiblytopographyofwheretheyexistcouldallenhancethewayarchivists
thinkabouttherelationshipsbetweenthematerialsintheircollections,aswell
asthereasonswhyandthewaysinwhichpeopleaccessthosematerials.Here,I
amproposingtheideaofthedigitalimprintasaresourcethatcansupplementor
perhapsatsomepointintegratepresent-daymetadataapproacheslike
hyperlinks,softwareforks,anduploadedfiles.
Theconceptofthedigitalimprintisoneoverarcingplacewherecritical
relevantinformationaboutanobject,personormomentintimecanbeaccessed
simultaneoustoallotherrelevantinformationaboutthatartifact.Thiswould
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includecurrentlydifficulttocaptureinformationlikehumanexperience,
memory,influences,geography,creativeideasandpractice,andrelationshipsas
itrelatestotheartifactinquestion.Thedigitalimprintistoanobjectina
momentintimelikea360-degreephotographistoaplace,inthatitattemptsto
capturealltherelatedandrelevantaspectsofagivenmoment.Thisistosaythat
thedigitalimprintofthesameobjectcanbedifferentintwodifferent
geographiesortwodifferentpointsintime.Digitalimprintscanthenbecross
referencedtooneanother,helpingmakevisibleotherwiseinvisibleinterrelated
aspectsofcultures,communities,people,andobjects.
Thedigitalimprintdiffersfromcurrentlyuseddigitalmetadataapproaches
thathaveastandardsetoffieldsorinformationthatareconnectedtoeach
digitalfile.Forexamplethismayincludethesizeofthephotograph,materialof
thecameraequipmentandprint,photographersname,yearitwastaken,placeit
wastaken,countryitwastaken,andperhapssomeadditionalinformationabout
thesubjectmatterofthephotograph,thephotographer,theplaceinwhichitwas
shotandthecollectionorperiodicalitwasplacedin.Whattraditionalmetadata
doesnotofteninclude,usingthesamephotographicexamplefromabove,would
beforexample,thereasonthephotographwastaken,wherethesubjectsinthe
photographwerefromandwhythephotowastakenwhereitwas,the
relationshipofthehouseinthebackgroundtothesubjectsinphoto,the
relationshipbetweenthephotographerandsubjectsinphoto,thephotographers
favoritephotographer,photographicinfluences,otherprojectsatthetime,other
photographerswhowereshootingthesamesubjectsthatday,whowasinpower
inthatgeographyatthetime,whatmoviewasshowingatthecinemahallthat
day,andsoon.
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Theideabeingthatadigitalimprintwiththistypeofinformationanddata
aboutagivenphotographwouldallowformuchdeeperresearchandwider
querynotonlyaboutthephotographbutaboutallelementsofthemomentin
timeinwhichthephotographwastaken,possiblyallowingforadeeper
understandingofhowarchivalmaterialsrelatetooneanother.Adigitalimprint
canenabletheusertomakeconnectionsbetweentheobjectandmanyrelatable
andtimelyaspectsofhumanexperiencethathelpconnecttheviewertothe
object.Theconnectionsmadethroughthisimprintmightbesomewhatsimilar
tothewayWikipediaorientstheirreaderstolinksanddataforawidevarietyof
informationconnectedtooneparticularsearchquery.
Tohelpfurtherexplaintheconceptofthedigitalimprint,considerthe
exampleofaphotographfromtheLestWeForgetexhibit.Thephotographmight
becomprisedofthephotographandallassociatedtransformationsofthat
photograph,includingwrittenstoriesaboutthedayitwastaken;paintings
inspiredbythephoto;oralhistoriesfromthepeoplewhotookorareinthe
photograph;responsesfromothermembersoftheirfamily,community,or
outsidersaboutthoseoralhistories;videos,photographsandaudiorecordings
oftheprocessofcapturingthecreativeresponsestothephotograph;aswellas
documentationoftheexhibitandbookwherethephotographisshowcased.
Throughthisprocess,thedigitalimprintofthatoriginalartifact—the
photograph—nowincludesinformationcollectedaboutthehumanexperience
relatingtothatartifactinaparticulartimeandplace,withinaparticular
community.Thedigitalimprintisaframeworkthatallowsthedocumentationof
thatonephotographtoreflectawiderangeofinformationthatisrelevanttothe
photographandwhichcontextualizesit,intheparticularmomentinwhichthe
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digitalimprintismade.Thisartifactnowservesasawayofconnectingallofthe
relatedanddisparateelementsthattogetherhelpdefinetheartifactina
particularmomentintime,usinghumanexperienceastheconduitforthese
connections.
Applyingthisideaofthedigitalimprint,wecanfurtherexpandthe
informationassociatedwithanyparticularartifactbyincludingcollaborators
andcollaborativeinfluences.Thisapproachcanhelpusbettergrasptheway
creativetrends,people,andeventsofthetimeinfluenceapproachestocreative
response,aswellastheintersectionsbetweenthesecreativeresponsesand
digitalmediatrendsofthetime.
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7 Conclusion:CreativeResponse
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7.Conclusion:CreativeResponse
7.1 SectionOne:Conclusion
7.1.1 Summary
Inthisdissertation,Ibringtogethertheoreticalframeworksfromavarietyof
disciplinesinordertoconductresearchthatdrawsfromeachdisciplineand
hasfindingsthatliveintheintersectionbetweenthem.Isetouttoanswer
thisquestion:Howandtowhatextentcanartists,whousematerialof
expressivecultureintheirdigitalmediaartisticpractice,playaroleinthe
archivalpreservationandsustainabilityofculturalheritageandtradition?I
usedthreecasestudiesasthebasisformyresearchandanalysis,and
throughthisresearchIencounteredanumberofproblemsthatbecome
relevanttoansweringthequestion.
• Howandtowhatextentcananartistwhousesmaterialsofsensitive
expressivecultureintheirpracticeplayaroleinthearchivalpreservation
andsustainabilityofculturalheritageandtradition?
• Whatisitthattheparticipantobservercanwitnessandcontributefroma
vantagepointthatisneitherfullyinsideaculturenorentirelyatan
“objective”distancefromit?
• Howcanwemakeanarchiveliving?
• Whatisthevalueofengagingpeopleinartisticresponseaboutcultural
artifactsfromtheirowncommunityandwhyshouldartisticcreation
mattertothearchive?
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Thesequestionsbecamethebasisforaproposedmethodologyofhowtobest
conductartisticpracticeusingsensitiveexpressiveculturefromethnographic
research.
Theultimateaimofmyworkistofurtherthedialogueabouttheimportance
ofmulti-disciplinarycollaborationthatchallengesthepractice-theorydivide,
towardtheendofgreaterpreservationandsustainabilityofculturalheritage;to
provideartistswithatoolkitforhowtoethicallyworkwithmaterialsofcultural
heritageintheirartisticpractice;andtomakeanargumentaboutthevalueof
communitymemberscreativelyrespondingtoartifacts,andarchivalmaterials
fromtheirownculture.
Thisconclusionwillprovideasummaryofmyresearchfindingsfromeachof
thethreecasestudies,thequestionsIposedinmyintroductionalongwithmy
answerstothemnow,aswellastheoriginalcontributionsandfuture
implicationsofmywork.
7.1.2 ImportantFindings
Eachofthethreecasestudiesinthisdissertation—TheTheyyamfestival,
TheLestWeForgetproject,andTheSonicStoryboardproject—providesa
differentexampleofhowdigitalmediaartpracticecanbepairedwith
ethnographicresearchtoproduceartthathasimportancetothepreservation
andsustainabilityofculturalheritagefromthatcommunity.HereIwillexpand
onsomeofthekeyfindingsfromeachofthesecasestudies.
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Theyyam
WorkingwiththecommunityinKeezharaandreturningyearafteryearhas
allowedmegreateraccesstotheTheyyamperformers,tomeetmorepeople,and
tobetterunderstandthecomplexityoftheTheyyamfestival.Ithasalsoallowed
metoexperimentandexplorewiththetypeofdocumentationthatismostuseful
tomypracticeasanartist.Ibeganwithfieldrecordingsasaprimarytoolbut
havealsocapturedphotographsandvideoasaformofdocumentationto
enhancemyartisticpractice.Dhanaraj,thevisualartistIcollaboratedwithon
theTheyyamexhibition,andIhavediscussedfutureprojectsthatbringsound,
video,andvisualarttogether.
Historically,theTheyyamfestivalhasalotofvaluetotheNorthernMalabar
regionofKeezhara;however,theartisticexhibitthatDhanarajandIcreated
garneredattentionandsupportforthefestivalfromgroupsthroughoutthestate
liketheKeralaFolkloreAkademi,whonowholdallrecordingsImadeofthe
festival,aswellastheministerofculturefromtheKeralagovernment.The
exhibitalsogainedtheattentionofnewspapersandtelevisionstations.This
attentionspeakstothewayinwhichanartist’sworkwithinacommunitycan
achieveadifferenttypeofcoverageandreachthananethnographer’smight.
Traditionally,anethnographerconductstheirresearchandthenwritesuptheir
findings,whicharetobefoundinajournalorabook.Foranartist,theirfindings
taketheformoftheirartisticpractice,whichisintentionallyshareddirectlywith
thegeneralpublic,andsocanhaveamoredirectimpactandonthepreservation
andsustainabilityofculturebybringingthefestivalintotheculturalmemoryof
thecommunityandexhibitiongoers.Thiscollectivememoryoftheshared
experienceoftheexhibitcanbepassedonfromgenerationtogenerationand
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sharedwithneighborsinawaythatcannotbereplicatedbyoneindividual
readinganethnographer’sessayorafamilyvisitingaTheyyamexhibitionata
localfolkloremuseum.Inthisway,theartisticexhibitionaboutthefestivalhas
helpedtopreservetheculturalheritageandsustainitbywayofbringingittothe
commonpeopleofthegreaterKeezharacommunity,thecitypeopleinKannur
wheretheexhibitionwasheld,thepeopleatthenewsstationsandnewspapers
whocoveredtheexhibition,aswellasthefolksonsocialmediawhofollow
DhanarajandmyselfonFacebook(whoprobablynewnothingaboutTheyyam,
buthavenowseencoverageofthefestivalandartisticresponsestoityearafter
yearonourFacebookpages).Inaddition,thestudentsatcollegesand
universitieswhereDhanarajandIteachhavealsolearnedaboutTheyyam
throughourresearch,artisticpractice,andoursharingofourworkinthe
classroom.Ihavesharedvideos,fieldrecordings,andphotographsfromthe
festival,aswellasmyprocessofmakingcreativeresponseswithstudents,which
necessitatesadiscussion,notonlyoftheartisticapproachandprocessIhave
used,butalsoofthecommunitiesinwhichIhaveworked,mycollaborators,and
detailsoftheTheyyamfestival,whichtheymaynothaveotherwiseknown
anythingabout.
Therewereseveralkeyfindingsofthiscasestudy.FirstthattheEveryday
Lifeexhibitionwassuccessfulinthatitcausedagitationformembersofthe
audience,byrepresentingtheTheyyamFestivalinanonstructuralistandnon-
linearway,throughcreativeresponse.Secondly,thatmyroleasaparticipant
observeroftheFestivalimpactedthewaystheexhibitionwasreceivedby
membersofthecommunity,andthatmycreativeapproachtorespondingto
TheyyamproblematizedthefestivalforthecommunityinawaythatDhanaraj’s
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artisticworkdidnot,becauseIwasanoutsiderandmyworkwasrootedin
soundscape,anartisticmediumthatisunfamiliartothemembersofKeezhara.
Thiscasestudyalsorevealedhowtheexhibitionfacilitatedatypeofrole
reversal,wherebyempoweringcommunitymemberstocritiquetheTheyyam
festivalandtheirowncommunity,bywayofcritiquingtheworkofanoutsider.
LestWeForget
TheLestWeForgetprojectisuniquelysituatedasadevelopingcollection,
whichatthemomentdoesnotintendtokeeptheartifactsthatpeopledonateto
thecollection.TheLWFstaffdocumentsandscansthephotographs,artifacts,
oralhistories,paintings,andstoriesthatpeopleshare,andthentheygivethe
originalsback.Thisisantitheticaltomosttraditionalarchiveswhereprimary
sourcematerialiswhatispreserved.InthecaseofLestWeForget,thesesource
materialsaredocumented,butitistheresponsefromthecommunitytothese
materialsthatbecomesaveryimportantpartofthecollection.Forexample,
collegestudentsasktheirparentsandgrandparentsforphotographsfromtheir
albums,andthenaskthemtosharestoriesaboutthephotographs.Thestudents
thendocumentthosestories,throughsoundrecordingsand/orinwrittenform,
orthestudentsmayusekeyelementsofthatstorytocreateasketchora
paintingthatisaresponsetothephotographbasedonthestory,usingthestory
theyhavebeentoldasapartofthatartisticprocess.
Throughthisproject,Michele,thestudents,andIhavelearnedalotabout
thewayartisticpracticeanddigitaltoolsandenhancementallowtheartistic
processtotakeshapeandchangeanartifact,byturningitintoadigital
documentoradigitalartifactthatcanthenbechangedoraugmentedwithout
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changingtheoriginalartifact.Thereisarealvaluetothisprocessinthatit
allowsforthecommunity,fromwherethatartifactcame,tounderstandthe
artifactinawaythatbringsitsrelevanceintotheirpresenteverydaylife.Wesee
thishappenintheLestWeForgetprojectnotonlythroughdigitalscansand
referencesthatarecreatedbythecollection,butalsothewaythosedigital
referencesareused.IntheLestWeForgetexhibition,weseethesedigital
referencesusedinaformatthatallowsvisitorstointeract,engage,and
contributewiththematerialofthecollection.Oneexampleofthisisatelephone
roomintheexhibitionwhereoldergenerationEmiratisrecordedtelephone
conversationsthatusedtohappenonhomelandlines,toaccompany
photographsofpeoplespeakingonthephone.Visitorswereinvitedtolistento
theserecordings,butalsotorecordtheirownmemoriesofhowtheyusedto
haveoroverhearconversationsintheirhome.
Oneofthekeyfindingsofthiscasestudywaslearningthattheprocessof
creativeresponsetoarchivalmaterialscanfosterintergenerational
conversation,andasaresult,canfosterthesharingofhistoricalculturalmemory
betweengenerationsthatmightnototherwiseoccur.Thisservestonotonly
bringaparticularartifactintotheconsciousnessoftheyoungergenerationwho
mightnothavebeenabletoexperienceitfirsthand,butalsoallowstheyounger
generationstobecomeactivatedandinvolvedinwhatmightnowbehistorical
traditionsoftheirownculturalheritage.
InthecaseoftheUAE,overthelast50yearsthecountryhaschangedso
dramaticallythattherearemanyelementsthatwerecriticaltothecultureand
identityofEmiratisthatarenolongerapartoftheculture.Forexample,there
aredifferenttechniquesandtraditionalhairstylesfromthe1940sthatmaybe
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nearlylost,orarenolongerpopularbecauseofeasyaccesstowaterforbathing,
andhairproductsthathavecomeontothemarket.Throughconversationwith
grandparents,someyoungerEmiratishavebecomeinterestedinthese
techniquesusedbytheirgrandparents,andmaychosetobringthembackinto
style.Inthiscasethestudentscanlearnhowtostylizetheirhairinthis
traditionalway,thenaturalmaterialsthatwereusedtoholdhairinplace,and
thereasontheparticularhairstylewaspopularatthetime,butdidnotsurvive
theculture’srapidtransformation.Thisprocessoflearningaboutone’sown
culturalheritageisverydifferentfromgoingtoamuseumorlookingataweb-
basedarchive,inthatitisengaged,itisparticipatory,anditfostersexploration
andexperimentationwithculturalheritage,animportanttooltothe
preservationoftheheritage.
SonicStoryboard
OneofthekeyfindingsoftheSonicStoryboardexhibitionistheway
digitalmediatoolscanbeusedbyartiststoengagetheaudienceinan
explorationoftheirrelationshiptoethnographicmaterialatthecenteroftheir
artisticwork.IntheSonicStoryboardexhibitiontheaudiencemember’s
physicalmovementinthegallerychangedtherecordingsofthecalltoprayer,
andinsodoingtheaudiencebecameawareoftheirownrelationshiptothe
materialoftherecordings,theadhan,andthewaytheirpresencealteredthe
adhan.ThemicrocontrollerandprogrammingsoftwareplatformsIutilizedin
thiswork(ArduinoandMax)allowedmetocreateaconstructedenvironment
whereIwasabletoplacemembersoftheaudiencefacetofacewiththeirown
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impactonaspace,andbyextensiontheconsiderationofourimpactontheworld
inwhichwelive.
TheimportantfindingsoftheSoundMapprojectpertaintothewaythat
digitalmediatechnologyallowsustouniquelyengagepeopleoverdistance.The
primarytakeawayofthesoundmapishowdigitalmediatoolsallowusto,
constructinterfacesthatarewidelyaccessibletotheaudienceorviewersofa
collection,andbroadentheviewerandcontributorbaseofthesoundmap
contentforthecollection.Inanartisticarena,thesoundmapallowsforpeople
anywhereintheworldtocontributetothewebsite,toputtheirfieldrecordings
intoanartisticallycuratedcollection.Theartistsandresearcherswho
contributedonotneedtobephysicallypresenttodothis,andyetwithoutbeing
presenttheyarealteringandhelpingtocuratethecollectionofadhansfrom
aroundtheworld.
ThetoolsIreliedonforthisprojectincludetheinternet,websitesthat
supportcloudstorageandstreamingofaudiocontentlikeSoundCloud,social
networkingtoolsthatsupportthedisseminationofinformationaboutnewsites,
andanalytictoolsthatallowthecreatorofasitetounderstandhowandfrom
wherethesiteisbeingaccessed.Thesedigitalmediatoolsallowlargegroupsof
peoplefromaroundtheworldtosupportthepreservationofculturalheritage,
andhelptosustaintheliverecitationoftheadhanfrommosquesaroundthe
world,bymakingtheabilitytocontributetothesoundmapandtheabilityto
listentorecordingsonthesoundmap,availabletoanyoneanywhereinthe
worldwhohasaccesstotheinternet.
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7.1.3 OriginalContributionthroughthisThesis
Thisdissertationconsidersresearchattheintersectionofdigitalmedia
studies,ethnographicresearch,andarchivalstudies,andpresentsoriginal
contributionstoeachofthesefields.Myapproachtoartisticpracticeindigital
mediaprovidedaverydifferententrypointtobothethnographicresearchand
considerationsforhowbesttomakelivingandcontributetoarchivalcollections.
Themajorcontributionofthisstudyisanapproachtoartisticpracticemediated
bydigitalmediatechnologiesusingmaterialsofsensitiveexpressiveculture,and
thecontributionsoftheresultingcreativeworktowardthesustainabilityand
preservationofculturalheritageandtraditions.
ThroughtheresearchandanalysisIhaveconductedIhavefoundthatartists
whouseexpressivecultureintheirartisticpracticecanplayaroleinsustaining
culturalheritageandtraditionthroughcollaborationwiththecommunitiesfrom
wherethematerialsoriginate.Throughthesecollaborations,ashighlightedin
thethreecasestudiesinmyresearch,theculturalmaterialisdisseminatedmore
broadlythanitwouldbeotherwise,asaresultofartisticexhibitions,gallery
exhibits,andcreativeprojectsattractinglargeaudiences.Artisticprojectsthat
engagecommunitiesincreativeresponseabouttheirownculturalheritageserve
animportantroleinthepreservationofculturaltraditionswithinacommunity,
asishighlightedintheLestWeForgetcasestudy.
Theprocessofcreativeresponseisbothintellectualandcreativeinits
nature;itisaperfecthybridofthetheoreticalandpracticalelementsoftheway
thatwethinkandfunctionashumanbeings.Participatingincreativeresponse
toculturalartifactsfromone’sowncommunityallowsandenablesoneto
connecttheirownexperiencetothatoftheirpeers,relatives,andcommunity
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members.Thisallowspeopletoconnectwithmembersoftheirowngeneration
andothergenerationsaroundmaterialsthatarerepresentativeoftheirculture,
andareabletoconnectthoseobjectstotheirlifeinpresentday.Theactof
creativeresponseengagespeopleintheprocessoflookingattheirownpersonal
historyandheritageinconnectiontotheirculturalandcommunityheritageas
wellastherolesocial,political,historical,andeconomicfactorshaveplayedin
mediatingtheseidentities.
IntheintroductiontothispaperIraiseaquestionthatIhaveheardaskedby
archivists,andwhichIthinkmyresearchfindingsandproposedmethodological
approachaddress.Theirquestionis,“Howcanwemakethearchiveliving?”
Makingthearchivelivingisafunctionoffiguringouthowtoengagemembersof
aparticularcommunityaroundarchivalmaterialthathasbeencollectedabout
theirowncommunity.Whilemakinganarchivelivingmaysoundsimple,ithas
beenaconcernraisedbyarchivistsandethnomusicologistsforthepastthree
yearsattheAnnualmeetingoftheInternationalAssociationofSoundandAudio
VisualArchives(IASA).Oneproposedwaytonavigatethischallenge,basedon
myresearch,wouldbetoengageartistsbothfromwithinthecommunityand
outsideofit,tobringpeopletogethertoworkonanartisticprojectbasedonthe
artifactsandarchivalmaterialsfromthatcommunity’scultureandtraditions.In
thisinstancepeoplefromagivencommunitywouldbeaskedtoengagewiththat
culturalheritage,andmightbeaskedtocontributetheirownfamilyheirlooms
andartifactsofculturalheritagesimilarlytowhatwesawhappenintheLestWe
Forgetproject.People’scontributionstothearchivearenotsomethingthatwill
remainstatic,butrathertheybecomealivingdiscourseonmeaning-making
abouttheirownexperiences,aswellastheprocessofengaginginthepossibility
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fordeeperunderstandingoftheirheritageandcommunitybylookingatthings
fromtheirculturalpast.
TheroleoftheartistasoutsiderisoneIconsiderthroughoutmyresearch.A
personfromoutsideofacommunitycanplayanimportantroleinhelpingto
developprojectsthatmakeanarchivelivinginthatitisoftendifficultto
appropriatelyvalueone’sownheritage.Wedon’talwaysvalueourowncultural
heritageinthesamewaythatsomeoneelsemight;wecaneasilytakeourown
cultureforgrantedwhenweareimmersedinit.Thisdoesnotmeanthatan
outsidervaluesanother’sculturalheritagemore,butratherdifferently.One
thingIlearnedfromtheLestWeForgetprojectisthatbeinganoutsidertoan
Emiraticommunityallowedmetohelpthestudentsthinkthroughthewaythey
tellstories.Emiraticulturehasstrongtraditionsoforalhistoryandstorytelling
throughsong;however,theyoungergenerationsarenotasconnectedtothose
traditionsastheirparentsandgrandparents.Beinganoutsidertothat
communityallowedmetovaluetheirstorytellingandtheconnectionstheymade
abouttheirownexperiences,inawaythattheycouldnotdoforoneanother.I
wasabletoencouragethemtotakeexchangeswiththeirfamilyandtheirpeers,
andtoincludetheminthecreativeresponses.
IntheTheyyamproject,theroleoftheoutsiderwasverydifferent.In
ethnographicresearchthereexiststheroleoftheoutsideobserver,where
observationisintendedtobeconductedfromtheoutside,asthisdistanceis
understoodtoallowforanecessaryobjectivitywhenconductingresearch.
However,artistswhousesensitiveexpressiveculturewhenmakingart,arestill
functioningasanoutsidertoacommunity,andyetthatconnectionwiththe
communityismoreintimatethantheethnographers’.So,inthecaseofthe
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Theyyamexhibition,Iwasgivenmoreleewaytoexpressmyartisticselfinaway
someoneelsemightnotbe.Iwasalsocautioustobeethicalandconsiderateof
thecommunity’straditionsandheritagewhendevelopingtheartisticworkwith
Dhanaraj.Inthatcontext,myroleastheoutsiderwastobeanagitatorinsome
ways,butIwasalsohighlydeferentialtothemembersofKeezhara,particularly
theTheyyamperformers,whichwasinlinewiththetraditionalhierarchyofthe
festival.
InmyReviewofLiterature,Idiscusstheexistingtheoreticalscholarly
frameworkinarchivalstudiesthatspeakstothevalueofartinthearchive.My
researchfurthercontributestothisunderstandingofthevalueofartinthe
archivebyshowingwaysartisticpracticecanbevaluabletothearchives,and
shouldbeseenassuch.Myresearchproposesthattheprocessofartisticpractice
contributessomethingtoanarchive,whichisn’totherwisecontributed.For
example,whenanethnographercollectsfieldrecordingsandphotographsofa
communityduringtheirresearch,thatmaterialisimportanttothearchivesas
primarysourcematerial,asanarchiveisinterestedindocumentingartifacts
fromcommunitiesinorderthatwecanpreservethem,sustainthem,and
rememberthem.WhatIcontributetothisdiscussionisthesuggestionthat
whenthosefieldrecordingsandphotographsaretransformedintoapieceofart,
thatartworkbecomesacommentaryonandreflectionofthatartifact.
Theartistcreatesacommentaryaboutaparticularartifact,cultural
elementortraditionthroughtheirparticularartisticlens,whichcontextualizes
thattraditionorobjectinaparticularmomentandplaceintime.Creatingart
aboutthatphotographorfieldrecordingallowstheartisttopresentthatobject
inthecontextofasocialsetting,inaworldthatexistsinthemomentthat
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particularpieceofartworkismade.Whentheartisticworkjoinstheobjectin
thearchive,thetwotelladifferentstorysidebysidethantheobjectcanalone.
Thatstorymightbefilledwithdetailsaboutartisticcollaborationswithinthe
community,galleries,newspaperarticles,andtelevisioninterviewsaboutan
artisticexhibition.Theethnographer’sphotographsandfieldrecordingsare
nowinextricablylinkedtothedatesonthenewspaperarticlesaboutthe
exhibitiondevelopedincreativeresponsetotheobjects,andtheexperiencesof
thepeoplewhoattendedtheexhibition.Thearchivalobjectsthatservedasthe
inspirationfortheartisticprojecthavenowbecomealivewithinthecommunity
inanewway.
WhenIbeganthisresearch,oneofthechallengesIfacedwasnegotiating
ethicalstandardsasanartist,whenusingmaterialfromcommunitiesoutsideof
myown.Ipushedupagainsttheseethicalstandards,becausethelinebetween
ethicalandunethicalwasnotalwaysclear-cut.OnewayItackledthisinthecase
studiesIdiscusswastobringtheartisticprojectsbacktothecommunitywhere
thematerialsofexpressivecultureoriginate.Iengagedwithcommunity
membersandgottheirresponsestomywork,soIcouldlearnwhatwassacred
tothemandgaugewhenmyworkpushedboundariesinapositive,productive
way,andwhenIneededtorethinksomething.
7.1.4 FutureWork
Myresearchandpracticearefoundedonthebeliefthatarchivesare
intendedtoberepositoriesorcollectionsofmaterialforboththegeneralpublic
aswellasforthecommunitiesfromwherethematerialsoriginate.Yetoften,the
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communitieswhoseheritageisdocumenteddon’talwaysaccessorusethe
collectionsandmightnotknowaboutthem.Whenartistsdevelopcreative
responses,especiallywithmembersofthatcommunity,thatcanthenbecomea
partofanarchivalcollection,theyarealsocreatingabridgebetweenthe
communityandthearchiveoftheirownheritage.Thisparticipationcreatesa
senseofownershipbythecommunityaboutcollectionsoftheirculturalheritage,
whichisimportanttothemissionofarchives.Whilealliancesbetweenartists
andarchivistsalreadyexist,theyhavealongwaytogobeforerealmutual
benefitwillbefelt.Primarysourcematerialthathasbeenreflecteduponbythe
communitythatitcamefrom,givesimportantinformationtothearchiveabout
thematerialsbeingdocumented.
Artisticpracticehasthepowerandpotentialtosituateandcontextualize
artifactsofculturalheritageandsensitiveexpressiveculturewithinaparticular
momentintime.IntheTheyyamcasestudy,thesonicandvisualartexhibition
highlightedcasteissueswithinacommunityasitwastiedtothefestival.The
exhibitiondidthisbyimmersingtheaudienceinasonicandvisualspacethat
createdanarrativeaboutTheyyamandcastedynamics,whichwasmediatedby
technologyinordertopresentarepresentationofthefestivalthatwasfocused
onthetangibilityandeveryday-nessoftheTheyyamperformanceartists.The
exhibition,whilenottrulyinteractiveinthesamewayastheSonicStoryboard
exhibit,wascreatedandspacializedforasound-squareplaybackenvironmentin
awaythatconjuredmovementthroughoutthespace,mirroringperformative
aspectsofTheyyamandtheperformanceartistslivesthroughoutthefestival.In
atraditionalarchivalcontext,issuesofcastemarginalizationmightnotbeplaced
alongsidetraditionsfromthefestival.
287
Creativeresponseasamethodologywasinitiallydevelopedthrough
classesthatItaughtasawayofbringingartisticpracticeintoatheoretical
classroomenvironment,inordertofulfillahunchthatmyartisticcollaborator
andIhad.Thishunchwasthatwhenstudentsareengagingtheirtactilesenses,
andcreativesensibilitiesatthesametime,theyareengagingtheiranalyticaland
theoreticalsensibilities—theoutcomeoftheworktheycreate,theirthinking,
andtheirprocessisgoingtobedeeperthaniftheywereengagingeitherofthose
reflectiveprocessesindependently.
Thepedagogicalimplicationsofthisresearchareinlinewiththose
hunches.TheresearchIhaveconductedinthisdissertationpointstothefact
thatwhenartisticpracticeissynthesizedwithethnographicresearch,theend
productismorerobust,dynamic,andthoughtfulthaneithertheethnographic
practiceorartisticpracticeonitsown.Iwillcontinuetoexploreandexperiment
withthissynthesisofartspracticeandtheoreticalanalysisinmyclassroom,and
hopetosupportotherfacultytodothesameintheirclassroomcontext.Iwill
alsocontinueresearchingthepedagogicalimplicationsofthesynthesisofartistic
practice,ethnography,andthearchivesinordertoencouragestudentstomore
deeplyandholisticallyconnectwiththematerialthatweareaskingthemto,and
enablethemtoconnecttheirunderstandingofthehumanconditiontothe
materialstheyaregrapplingwith.
Iwillalsocontinuedevelopingartisticworkthroughcreativeresponseto
soundrecordingsofsensitiveexpressiveculture.InparticularIamnow
developingprojectsthatusedigitalmediaapproachesincludingmediaarchiving,
techniquesofsonicculture,andsoundscapemanipulationtofurtherconsiderthe
methodologicalimplicationsofethnographicresearchonthesoundsofreligion,
288
boththosethatarethrivingandthosethataredying,andthesoundsoftheworld
ecosystems,againboththosethatarethrivingandthosethataredying.The
intentionofthesefutureworksistousethemethodologicalhybridapproaches
exploredinthisdissertationtocontinuetopushtheboundariesandimpactthat
digitalmediaartandstudiescanhaveonethnographicresearch,andplayinour
attemptstoarchiveculturaltraditionsandheritagethatmayotherwisebelost.I
aminterestedinpartneringwithcommunitiesthatareinamomentofreflection
abouttheiridentity,culturalheritage,andhistory,todevelopapproachesto
creativeresponseandartisticpracticethatcapturesstoriesandinter-
generationalnarratives.Myfutureresearchwillallowmetobuilduponthe
findingsofthisdissertation,whilefurtheringresearchthatconnectsdigital
media,ethnography,andarchivingtomeaningfullypreserveandsustainaspects
oftraditionandculturalheritagethatareslowlydisappearing.
289
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AppendixA:RelatedPublications
“AcquisitionasAppropriation:FromtheParthenontotheAbuDhabiGuggenheim,”Affirmations:OfTheModern,Vol4,No1.(Autumn,2016).
“LestWeForget:InconversationwithSusanMeiselasandMicheleBambling”TribeMagazine,Issue38.March2016.
“Artists,Archivists,andCommunity,”IASAJournal,Issue45.October2015.59-61.
RubAlKhali(TheEmptyQuarter),SoundDesignforfilmbyFrenchDirectorSophieBachelier,onArtistsintheUnitedArabEmirates.April2015.
KalimawaNagham,ArabiclanguagebookauthoredbyNasserIsleemandGhaziAbuhakema,AudioBookbyDianaChester,February2015.
EverydayLife:ARepertoireofRitualandPerformance:AmultimediaexhibitionincollaborationwithIndianartistDhanarajKheezara,fusingpainting,drawingandspacializedsoundcompositioninexplorationofcastemarginalizationinTheyyam,IMAHall,Kannur,India.December2014.
AdhanSonicStoryboard,Aninteractiveinstallationexploringthesonicnuanceofthecalltoprayer,fusingdigitalimages,recordedsound,andsensorbaseddatacollectionviamicrocontroller,Gallery4211,AlAinTower,AbuDhabi,UAE,May2014.
RamsahEmiratiDialectLanguageBook,Co-AuthoredbyNasserIsleemandAyeshaAlHashemi,AudioBookbyDianaChester,April2014.
299
AppendixB:TheyyamFestivalFieldNotesTheyyamFestivalFieldNotes:February15th-19th2013CorpusofAnalysisincludes,fieldnotes,photographs,andvideoclips.IntransittoKeezhara:AudiorecordedoniPhone
Bustoplane 4:08Onplanebeforetakeoff 1:34Calicutwalktotaxi 00:37AmbassadordrivetoKannurRailStation 3:36A4PlatformatRailStation 2:52Thetrainiscoming 1:14OnTheyashanthpur-KannurExpress 3:26TrainandHeartandVibrations 2:19ChatinTrain 2:10
Day1:SaturdayFebruary15th2013
Audio/Video/PhotoDocumentation:• AudioCapturedoniPhone:o FirstWalk1:35o TheyyamSoundsLikeAzan4:26o Theyyamendof1stperformance3:13o AudiocapturedonSoundDevices788TwithCoreAmbisonicMicrophoneo T46–LargeParadeintheeveningo T47–Drummersincircleonfieldinunisono T48–Fireworks• Photos/Video
FieldNotes:
DaivaChekon:ImageB1ImageB2Morning:
300
IarrivedinKeezharaviaKannurrailstationat8:30am.ImetDhanaraj,
Nisha,SiduandTejuonthetrainattheKhozikodestation,whereIjoinedthemin
theircar.WethentravelledtogetherfortwohourstoKannur.Uponreaching
thestationwejumpedintoanambassadortaxi,andmadeafewstopstopickup
sweetsandfruitforDhanaraj’smom,thencontinuedontothetownofKeezhara.
WereachedKeezharaat9:30am.Weshowered,atelunchandheadedtothe
HindiTempleinKeezhara,whichwasa2-minutewalkthroughthewoods,away
fromDhanaraj’schildhoodhome,wherewewereallstaying.
TheKeezharatempleisknowsasaGoddessBhagavad/Kalitemple.We
reachedthetemplearound11:30amandmetwiththetempleelders.Wepaid
ourfestivalfees,amountofcontributionisvoluntary,Icontributed500INRasa
donationtothetemplefortheTheyyam.ThoughtheTheyyamfamiliesincur
muchoftheresponsibilityforthefestival,thetempleprovidesthegrounds,and
templeminders,aswellasprovidesluncheverydayofthefestival,gratuitously
toallwhowouldliketoattend.Therearevolunteersfromthetownwhohelpto
preparelargequantitiesoffoodtohelpfeedallfestival-goers.Thebackofthe
templeissetupwithtablesandchairs,andthereisalunchlinewhereyougrab
yourplateandgetgoodplacedonit.Attheconclusiontherewasawashand
rinsestationwhereallshouldwashtheirownplates.
Wethenmetwiththemenwhoareapartofthetheyyamfamilies.Asthey
allspeakMalyalamandIdonotittooksometimetocommunicate.Luckilyone
ofthesongsofoneoftheeldersoftheTheyyamfamily,spokeHindiashehad
workedinDelhifortenyears,andreturnedonlyrecentlytofulfillhis
responsibilitieswithintheTheyyam.IwasabletospeakwithhiminHindiabout
abit,thoughhewasofcoursemostinterestedinknowingaboutme,whereIwas
301
from,mymaritalstatus,etc.Itwasinterestinghowevertolearnthatmanyofthe
keyfamilymembersandparticipantsoftheTheyyamfestivalinKeezhara
includingTheyyamfamiliesandmusicianfamilies,oftenleavethetownto
pursueothercareers.Manyofthemendupreturningtoparticipateandprepare
forTheyyam.
Ifoundthisdynamicmirroredinthecommunitymembersatlarge.
Dhanaraj,whoisinhisearlyforties,andwhohaslivedinBangaloreformore
thantenyears,enjoysreturningforTheyyameachyear,inpartbecausemanyof
hisfriendswhoalsoworkoutsideoftheirhometown,returnforthefestival.The
towncomesaliveduringthefestival,withmanytownfolkswhoreturnfromjobs
faraway,asfarastheemirates,andofcoursewithinIndiaitself,alltoseeone
another,toenjoytheirchildhoodtownandtoparticipateinTheyyam.
Dhanaraj’scontemporarieswouldoftenstayupthroughthenights,meetingat
thetempleandtalkingandcatchingup,whiletheTheyyamfamiliespreparedfor
thenextcharacter.
At1:30pmweattendedtheTheyyamThottamoftheday.Thottamisan
introductionoftheTheyyamstorythatwillbeperformedlaterthatday.In
particularThottamofeachdayofthefestivalisoftenthereadingofthefinal
Theyyamstorythatisperformedonthefinaldayofthefestival.Imagesforthis
arecapturedontheiPhone.
**NapandLunchatDhanaraj’sChildhoodHouse**
Evening:Around6:30/7pmcrowdsbegantogatherontheroadbetweenthemain
templeandthesmallertempledowntheroad.YoungChildrenlinedupand
302
carriedfruitsthroughtheprocession,adrumminggroupleadthewayandmany
peopleholdingumbrellaswerecreatingapassagewayfortheartistswithinthe
parade.Thetwomaincharactersranupanddownthepassagewaydancingand
performingallthewaydowntheroad.
Meanwhilelargestacksandpilesofhaywerebeingburnttothegroundall
aroundthecrowds.Someofthesehugebundlesofhayandstrawwereplaced
erectinthemiddleofanemptyfield,andthenlit,creatinganilluminatingglow
thatburnedforagoodhalfhour,andspreadambersthroughoutthefestivities.
Theprocessionmovedintothefieldadjacentthemaintemple,wherethe
twomaincharacterswerecompletelysurroundedbypilesandpilesoftender
coconuts,bananasontheirstalks,babyjackfruit,andotherseasonalfruits.The
twoTheyyamsatinspecialwoodenTheyyamseatsaspeoplefedthemtender
coconutwater,etc.
TheattentionofthefestivitiesthenshiftstotheShivajiMalam,whichtakes
placeinthebackoftheopenfieldadjacentthetemple,wheredrummersand
otherinstrumentalistsperformawesomerhythmpiecesalongwithcoordinated
dancing,thereareprobably20-25drummers,andtheyaresurroundedbya
circleoffestivalattendees.
Thenightconcludesinthisfashionandultimatelycomestoanendwitha
thirty-minutelong,andveryloud,fireworkscelebration,whichwassetofffrom
therivernearby.Thefireworkshadaninterestinglyrhythmiccontinuous
presentaboutthem.Therewasthenamidnightanda2amTheyyambutIwent
tosleepanddidnotattendthese,asIwastooexhausted.
303
Day2:SundayFebruary16th2013
Audio/Video/PhotoDocumentation:
• AudioCapturedoniPhone:
• AudiocapturedonSoundDevices788TwithCoreAmbisonicMicrophone
o T49-Thottamwheretheycrackthecoconutandfacethetemple
o T56-1stTakeofEveningTheyyam
o T65–PeanutMan/AmbientNoiseandFacePaintingofCharacters
o T66–DhanarajTakingPhotographs
o T67–Kidsbuyingtoysfromthetoykiosk
o T68–Ankleandlegbelljewelrygoontheyyamcharacter
o T72–Tigerandmanstruggle
o T73–Moretigerandmanstruggle
o T74–Evenmoretigerandmanstruggle
o T75–BriefbitattheendwithamazingTheyyamflute
o T77–BeforedinneratDhanaraj’schildhoodhouse,TV/talking/playing
andTheyyamisinthebackground.
o T81-Chitchatandthelateruntomountain.
o T82-thepre-Theyyamdrumming
o T84-daytwolatenightTheyyam.
• Photos/Videos
FieldNotes:
9:30amWake-up
11:30amNap
12:30pmTheyyamThottam
304
Lunchandrest
5:00pmBacktotemplegroundsforVellatamprep,facemake-upcostumes
6:30pmVellatamcharacterdoestiger/mandance.
8pmBacktoHousefordinnerandrest
12amBacktotempleforTheyyam
2ambacktohouseforrest.
Morning:PuliyoorThottam
ImageB3
Afternoon:PuliyoorKannanVellatam
ImageB4 ImageB5
305
Evening:PuliyoorKannanTheyyam
ImageB6 ImageB7Evening:
12:30pm-2amManstillstruggleswithTigerbutwithanewhearddress
andfacemake-up.Menfromthevillagerntothetopoftwoofthetownsfour
hillswithburningbunchesoffronds,racingtobethefirsttoreachbacktothe
temple.OncetheyreachbacktheTheyyamistherewithheaddressonandtail
(oftiger)inhand.Alltheburningbundleswerethrownintothemiddleofthe
groundinfrontofthetempleandtheTheyyamdancesaroundtheburning
matter,tothedrumming.AudioTrackT81captureschitchatandthelaterunto
mountain.T84isdaytwolatenightTheyyam.T82isthepre-Theyyam
drumming.
TheyyamIdeasforArtfromfieldjournal
LookatphotographsfromTheyyamDaytwoespeciallythosefromtheearly
evening.Considerthepicsofthefacepaintingthecharacters,thedressingof
charactersanddancing,andrecognizehownervousthekidiswhoisplayingthe
character.Trytodevelopasoundscapethatfollowshisanxietyandmapsit.Or
considertheprocessandhowtodevelopit.
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Day3:MondayFebruary17th2013
Audio/Video/PhotoDocumentation:
• AudioCapturedoniPhone:
• AudiocapturedonSoundDevices788TwithCoreAmbisonicMicrophone
o T87–Ladieschantingbeforesunset
o T88–Conclusionofladiessinging
o T89–Conversationwithlocalmediaguysaboutmymicrophone
o T90–Whenfishermenbringfishtotemple
o T91–ConversationbeforeTheyyamaboutmywedding.
o T92–PreeveningTheyyamRecording
o T93–Evenmoreambience
o T94–EveningTheyyamstartsacrossthestreet
o T95–EveningTheyyam
o T96–Whenfireisbroughtbackfromthemountain
• Photos/Videos
FieldNotes:
VettakarumakkanThottam ImageB7
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VellatamVettakarumakkanImageB8ImageB9TheyyamVettakarumakkan ImageB10 ImageB11
Evening:
Iwenttosleepat2:30amafterthepreviouseveningsfestivities.Iwokeup
at9:30amaftermostofthehouseandalreadybeenawayforatleast2hours.
Thesmallamountpeoplesleephereamazesme.ButIguessit’slikebeingina
cabininthewoodsonvacationandallofyourrelativeswhoyouarehappyto
see,showingupatoddtimestodropinandhangout.MeanwhileIhave
developedacold,sincethefirstday,andmynosehasbeenrunninglikemad,not
tomentionaslightlydryanditchythroat.Thegoodnewsisthatit’smanageable,
despiteblowingmynoseintoanythingnearby,andtodayNishaandDhanaraj
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willgotothenexttownovertofetchsomesuppliesincludingVitaminCtablets
forme.
SobacktoTheyyam.Todaytheschedulewillchangeabitfromprevious
days.Around12-noontherewillbetheThottam,whichhashappenedeveryday
sincewearrived.ThethottamisbasicallyaRitualsong,wheretheartistsplaya
drumbeatinaninterestingandvariedway,andthenatfullspeedreciteanoral
traditionoftheTheyyamstory.Thereareeldersfromtheperformancefamily
whowillstandbytoensurethattheoraltraditionstoryisproperlyrecited,and
theywilljump-inandaddlinesifnecessary.Theelderswillalsostepinforthe
characters,iftheyneedabreak,ortotakerest.Sometimesthejuniorfamily
memberhasnotmemorizedthethottamstory,andsoaseniormemberwilltake
overforpartofthestorythatthejuniormember,oftentheirsonornephew,has
notyetlearned.
WeattendedtheThottamat12:3pm.Tookimagesofcoconutsmashing
afterThottamandtookrecordingsofchatting.Dhanarajhaspicsofmewith
schoolkidsandhisbestfriends.Wehadpoa(food)atthetempleafterthottam.
Thottamisbasicallythestoryofwhatisgoingtohappenthatday.Itisalloral
andthereisnowrittendocumentationthatpeoplehereknowabout.Thestory
isinSanskritandveryfewpeoplecanunderstanditunlesstheyhavereally
studiedwiththeTheyyamfamilies.Dhanarajmayknowthestoriesfromyearsof
listening.
Theyyamisfundamentally,itseems,aboutcommunity.Theyyamin
KeezharaisaritualtraditionthatmaintainsHindudevotionalpracticestothe
land,tofire,towater,andoveralltotheearth.ThestoryoftheTigerTheyyam,
asNishatellsis,isthatlongbackwhenpeoplefoundKeezhara,theywantedto
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settlehere,tobuildhuts,andtofarm,etc.Nowtheplaceisatownof1500
families,surroundedbytallhillsandbyariverononeside.Whenthepeople
came,theybegantobuildandsettleandtheydisruptedtheanimalsandnatural
ecosystemofthearea.Thetigersbecameangryandtherewasaclash,whereby
thepeoplefoughtthetigersanditwasawful.Fromthatpointforwardlegend
hasitthatthepeopleconductedritualprayerandcelebrationbywayofthe
Theyyamfestival.TheyyaminKeezharaisthepeopleaskingthetigersfor
permissiontoco-existontheirland.
TodaythereisanotherTheyyamaboutfish.ApparentlyTheyyamistheone
time,whenpeoplefromalldifferentcasteswillcometogetheratthemain
temple.Theyyambringsallofthesepeopletogether,inawaynothingelsein
theirdailyliveswill.Thefishermencomefromaparticularcasteandtheywill
participateinaTheyyamtoday.Alldaythesefishermenhavebeenattheriver,
tryingtofishforthisonetypeofsilverfishthatswimsnearthesurface.Noone
elsewillfishintherivertoday.Fromearlyinthemorningthefishermenwillbe
fishingandprayingintheriver,inordertocatchenoughfishtogivetothegods
attheeveningTheyyam.
AnothercastethatparticipatedheavilyintheTheyyamofthepasttwodays
isafamilyfromadifferentcastewhogrowadevotionalcoconuttree.Thistree
isaspecialcoconuttree.
ChaiBreak…
Notjustanyonecanclimborcultivatethecoconuttree,andthecoconuts
areonlyusedfordevotionandasanofferingtothegods.Thepersonwhocares
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forandpaystributetothetreewilleatonlypurefoods,andwillthenfastafter
whichtheywillclimbthecoconuttreeandblessthefruits.Thiswillhappen
regularlyfortemplerelatedfunctions,worship,festivals,etc.Someonefromthe
coconutfamilywillparticipateinTheyyamandhisfriendsandfamilywillcome
toTheyyamtosupporthim.Similarlythefishermenwillcomeandbesupported
bytheirfriendsandfamily.(Tribeandclan)Andthemenofthehisswillcome
andsoon.
Day4:TuesdayFebruary18th2013
Audio/Video/PhotoDocumentation:
• AudioCapturedoniPhone:
• AudiocapturedonSoundDevices788TwithCoreAmbisonicMicrophone
• Photos/Videos
FieldNotes:
EarlyMorning,5am,ThondachanBuddhafatherwithwhitelips.
ImageB12 ImageB13Evening5pm-9pmShiva/ParvathiTheyyamandalargefestivalwithalarge
crowd.MaleTheyyam:Keshetrapalam
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FemaleTheyyam:Thayar[Paradevather]mothergoddess(thisisalsothenameoftheKeezharaTemple)
Day5:WednesdayFebruary19th2013Audio/Video/PhotoDocumentation:• AudioCapturedoniPhone:• AudiocapturedonSoundDevices788TwithCoreAmbisonicMicrophone• Photos/VideosFieldNotes:EarlyMorning5am-6am2SuperTallCostumesinmainarea.Firstthereisatrekwherethefishwas
brought,thenawhilelatertotalchaosensuesandthetwoTheyyamdanceinthemainareanearthetemple.Thentheywalktotheothersideofthetemple.
NewInformationLearned:
AllThottamsarereadingonestory,whichisthestoryofthefourthday’s
eveningperformancewithKesthrapalamandThayaparadevatha.Theyarereally
tellingthestoryofThayaparadevathawhoistheMotherGoddess,andthe
Keezharatempleishertemple.Thethottamisthestoryofwhosheis,whereshe
isfrom,howshecametothisplace,etc.TheThottamalsogivesdifferentnames
fortheMotherGoddess.Theyyamisalsoperformedexclusivelybythe
backwardscaste.ThestorysaysthatDaiva,thegod,wasinhumanform-a
backwardscastepersonwhowaskilledbyaforwardcasteperson.WhenDaiva
becameagodshe/hetookrevengeontheforwardcaste.Forthisreason
TheyyamispreformedalwaysbytheBackwardscaste.
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AppendixC:LestWeForgetWorkshopCurriculum
LestWeForgetWorkshoponDocumentingOralHistoriesandSoundscapes
DianaChester
Iwillconductsix,daylongworkshopsoverasix-weekperiod,allowingtheparticipants
anopportunitytoworkonassignmentsandaudiocollectionbetweenworkshops.
InterspersedwithintheseworkshopsIcanholdperiodiccritiques.
SoundWorkshop:
Theseworkshopswillprovideparticipantswithanoverviewoftherolesoundcanplay
intheLestWeForgetarchiveandexhibitions.Iwillshareexamplesofcommunity
projectsandsoundartinitiativestohelpprovideaframeworkofunderstanding,aswell
asprimeparticipantstogenerateandexplorenewideasforincorporatingsound
recordingintotheupcomingexhibitions.Iwillconducthandsontrainingsofbest
techniquesandpracticesforrecordingsound,andusingfieldrecorders,including
interviewandfieldrecordingskills.Participantswillexplorephotographsandarchival
objectsalreadyinthecollectionandexplorenewwaystosonicallyrepresentthese
objects.Theywillusethetimebetweenworkshopstocollectsoundrecordingsfrom
theirfamilies,thecommunity,andtheenvironment.
ExhibitionWorkshop:
SoundMap:Asoundmapembeddedontheprojectwebsitewouldallowforthe
collection,organization,retrievalandmetadatataggingofallrecordedaudiorelatedto
theproject.ThiswouldbeavisualrepresentationofallplaceswithintheEmiratesfrom
wheresoundrecordingsarecollectedandrecoded.Startingthisassoonaspossible
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wouldallowforacentralrepositoryforallrecordedsoundgeneratedwithinthe
workshopaswellasoutside,forthepurposeofarchiveaswellasforeasyretrievaland
usewithinexhibitions.Thesoundmapcanultimatelybeexpandedtosupportaudio
uploadfrommembersofthecommunity,viathewebsiteoraphoneapplication.(Iam
includingalinktotheMOMA'srecentshareyoursilencesoundmapasareferenceto
thistypeofwork.http://www.moma.org/share_your_silence)
In-ExhibitionRecordingStations:Thesestationsthatwillexistasapartofthe
exhibitions,willallowvisitorstotheexhibitionspacetocontributestoriesand
commentstothesoundcollectionofLestWeForget.Thesesoundrecordingscanbe
storiesofparticularphotographsorarchivalobjects,orofunrelatedmoments.These
recordingscanthenbeaddedtotheLestWeForgetArchiveandbeinsupportof
soundscapesoffutureprojectrelatedexhibitions.
SonicConnectionsbetweenExhibitions(ShadowsofExhibitions):Itcouldbe
interestingtocapturesoundrecordingsofeachexhibitiontoincludeinfuture
exhibitionsofLestWeForget.Thisprocesswouldcapturetheinteractionofthe
communitywiththearchivalobjectsondisplay,andinsodoingcaptureamomentinthe
livinghistoryoftheUAE,amomentofreflectiononthepast.Itcouldbeveryinteresting
tolayersoundscapesofinteractionfromeachexhibitionintothenextexhibition,asa
startingplaceforapointofoverlapbetweenthecontentandsubjectmatterofeach
exhibition.Perhapsaspaceineachexhibitioncouldbededicatedtothisidea
Day1Wed.,Oct.29
MorningSessionIntroductiontosoundworkshopExploration of ideas for incorporating sound recording into LWFexhibitionsLetsthinkabouttherelationshipofform,visualandsonic.
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• Fitting sound to image – example from Travelling CortexWebsite–pairingsomethingwithimageryevenafterthefact.
• Looking at what the image is/doing/conveying and finding asonicenvironmentthatmatchesthat.Thismaynotbethefirstthingthatcomestomind.
VisualizationExercise:Thinkofanimage,onceyouhaveit inyourmindrecreateit. Youcandrawitordescribeit.Dothatfor5minutes.Nowworkwithapartnerand describe your images to one another. Now your partner shouldwrite down three ideas for sonic accompaniment to your image andthenhandsitback. Youshouldthenreviewthethreesuggestionsandidentifywhyoneofthemwouldworkbest.(Whataspectsofthatimageareyouhighlighting? What inthatphotographdoyouwantsomeoneto see? Is it the clothes, thebuildings, etc?–Weneed to thinkabouthow the sound is creating a harmonious accent to the image.) Thesoundispresentforareasonitissupportingthetellingofastory.AfternoonSessionBestpracticesandtechniquesforrecordingsoundInterviewandfieldrecordingexercisesHand out ZoomTechnical Data Sheetwith some very basic details ofrecording and interviewing for best quality. Students will need toexplore and experiment with these tools, partnering and doingexercises,etc.HW Assignment: Record 3 things. I want you to record your ownthoughts, descriptive or otherwise about a piece in the exhibition.Record an interview of a friend or familymember telling a story, orrecalling amoment in time related to an image. Record an ambientsound from your surroundings that seems to have a narrativeconnectiontoanimagefromtheexhibition.
Day2Wed.,Nov.5
MorningSessionCritiqueofcollectedsoundclipsColorPaletteUnderlyingAmbientSoundsAfternoonSessionIntroductiontosoundmapsExploringhowsoundmapscanbedevelopedforLWFSoundmaptechniques
Day3Wed.,Nov.12
MorningSessionCritiqueofsoundmapassignmentsAfternoonSession
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Workonsoundmaps
Day4Wed.,Nov.19
MorningSessionCritiqueofsoundmapassignmentsAfternoonSessionIntroductiontoin-exhibitionsoundstationsExplorationofin-exhibitionsoundstationsforLWF
Day5Wed.,Nov.26
MorningSessionCritiqueofin-exhibitionsoundstationassignmentsAfternoonSessionIntroductiontosonicrecordingofexhibitionsExplorationofhowsonicrecordingscouldbedevelopedforLWFExercisesinsonicrecordings
Day6Wed.,Dec.3
MorningSessionCritiqueofsonicrecordingsforexhibitionsAfternoonSessionExploration of integrating these sound recording elements for LWFexhibitions,archiveandwebsite