Simon Butterfield
Digital Art
Reading assignment
David Dunne - Nature, Sound Art and the Sound of the Sacred
In this article by David Dunne he explains his approach to sound art and the different techniques he utilizes. Dunne is very interested in sounds from nature and dedicates many of his projects to capturing unique interactions between animals, humans/ technology and the natural world. I found this to be a very interesting way to create a sound composition, it is unlike many other musical compositions that we hear of today. Within the article he explains how the music industry has become far too saturated with self indulgent artists whose goal is only to get views and money. To contrast this in his own work, Dunne abandons the artist’s representation within the composition all together and allows to spotlight to shine on natural sounds. Although, he may manipulate the piece by digitally editing it, his projects are all rooted in natural sounds, allowing the artists to be anything from a Mockingbird to a Lion. This is an incredibly unique way to approach music, especially considering today's standards. Dunne drew a lot of inspiration for his work from John Cage, the originator of “sound art”. Although,
they both had an ear from nontraditional musical practices where Dunne differed from Cage was how he approached his art. Dunne felt as though his soundscapes had meaning behind them, whereas Cage’s compositions were exploiting the idea that anything can be art and all noise can be music. I believe that both artists had their own unique perspective when it came to composing and pushed their ideals as far as they could go. I find that to be a very admirable trait in any artist, pushing the boundaries of a discipline is what makes good art in my opinion. Having the creative freedom to explore new fields is what paves the way for future artists. Dunne’s work may have not been for everyone but he was authentic and true to himself which makes him a successful artist in my book.
