A Noisy Kind of Resonance

Exhibition Statment

Soundwaves cannot travel in an airtight vacuum, leading to the common assumption that sonic energy does not exist in outer space. This misconception is reinforced by film and television, which often depict outer space as an empty, still, and silent void. However, sound in space is possible because not all of space is contained in a vacuum. Sound occurs within the atmospheres of gassy planets and nebulae and traverses the molten substances of stars. Additionally, objects and energy fields in outer space can be heard via radio and microwave frequencies or by translating cosmic data into electronic recordings. Thus, space can be a very noisy place, with each planet, star, nebula, comet, and asteroid possessing its own sonic signature. The black void of space is filled with ancient radio static, speculated to be leftover from a ‘Big Bang’ event that occurred around 14 billion years ago.

This exhibition, which serves as the resolution of my PhD candidature, interprets an array of eerie and dissonant ‘silent’ cosmic noises into physical objects. These works encapsulate my feelings of curiosity and unease when contemplating the realm beyond Earth’s atmosphere. By transforming these elusive and often unsettling sounds into tangible forms, I aim to bridge the gap between the known and the unknown, offering viewers a glimpse into the sonic landscape of the cosmos. Through this exploration, I invite the audience to reconsider their perceptions of space, not as a silent void but as a dynamic and resonant environment filled with a symphony of cosmic sounds.