@misc{1df54500277241ba8a78059841df3066,
title = "Sounding the Air",
author = "Chris Cottrell",
note = "helium, latex balloon, electronics, FM transmission Curator: Dr Malte Wagenfeld, RMIT [with Prof Jane Burry, Swinburne Uni] Research background: 'Dynamics of Air' used an interdisciplinary focus to explore how artists, designers and architects work with the intangible medium of air. Curators Malte Wagenfeld and Jane Burry commissioned Cottrell to produce a new work “Sounding the air” specifically for the exhibition. The work drew on research in lightweight kinetic sculpture, sound art and writings on air and atmosphere, to create a new {\textquoteleft}balanced balloon{\textquoteright} project, the third in a series that Cottrell has undertaken since 2013. Research contribution: The uplift of a large helium-filled weather balloon is balanced by the weight of an FM receiver and loudspeaker, creating a buoyancy-neutral assemblage that is uniquely sensitised to the subtle changes in air movement, temperature and pressure. The project develops an expanded idea of {\textquoteleft}sounding{\textquoteright} — understood as process of building up a three-dimensional understanding of the atmosphere as well as propagating sounds waves through the air. The audio component is an aural essay on air, constructed by recording over twenty different speakers reading a wide variety of quotes from poetry, fiction, and non-fiction texts interspersed with field recordings of air-activated environments, dispersed via low-power FM transmission. This is received by the balloon assemblage, revealing distortions and interferences from the physical environment and other electronic transmissions present throughout the gallery. Research significance: To realise the international ambitions of the curatorial team, the RMIT exhibition was presented in partnership with the Goethe Instit{\"u}t, who provided significant financial support (€20,000). Additional financial support came from the Austrian Embassy in Canberra and the British Council. The exhibition ran for two months and had over 7000 attendees. MDQLTY - V; Dynamics of Air ; Conference date: 14-09-2018 Through 17-11-2018",
year = "2018",
language = "English",
publisher = "RMIT University",
url = "https://rmitgallery.com/exhibitions/dynamics-of-air/",
}