Beyond Sound

Exhibition Statement

The paintings, drawings, and collages featured in this solo exhibition were created in response to the phenomenon of sound recordings being stored in the Wi-Fi ‘cloud’. I imagined these muted and audible sounds resonating in the atmosphere and digital space like a metaphoric galaxy composed of various vibratory elements.

Paintings of shifting colour and light sprayed onto glass offer a visual interpretation of harmonious tones and musical sounds. The diffused particles of paint applied on either side of the glass mimic photographs of gaseous nebulas in formation. Both nebulas and sounds share a liminal quality, existing on the threshold between material and immaterial, seen and unseen. This ethereal aesthetic captures the transient beauty of sound waves as they navigate through digital space.

Harsher sounds, such as recordings of radio static and noise, are also encapsulated in this exhibition through sculptural works. These sculptures contrast with the paintings by using abrasive and perforated materials such as metal shavings, ferrous powders, wire mesh, and shards of glass. This juxtaposition highlights the dual nature of sound—its capacity to be both soothing and disruptive. It reflects the complex relationship we have with digital technology and the soundscapes it generates.

Gestural drawings of sound featured in this exhibition map the vibratory waves and rhythmic beats of music I have stored in the ‘cloud’. These drawings act as visual scores, translating the ephemeral nature of sound into tangible forms. The rhythmic marks and flowing lines trace the invisible journey of sound waves through the digital ether, capturing their energy and movement on paper.

Overall, this exhibition seeks to make the invisible visible, giving form to the intangible. By exploring the intersection of sound and visual art, I aim to deepen our understanding of how we experience and interact with the auditory landscape in an increasingly digital world. Through these works, I invite viewers to contemplate the ways sound permeates our lives, both in its harmonious and discordant forms, and to consider the unseen connections that bind us to the vibratory essence of the universe.

Ali Bezer, Exhibition Blurb, 2015.