After looking for something inspirational that might help me gain a better understanding of the deeper meaning of ‘Removed’, I came across the site everydaylistening.com.
The site posts about sound art installations, who they were made by and a little snippet of the meaning behind the work. Although, I’m unsure if the writing of the meaning of the art is intentional, it’s still inspirational none the less.
For example, the ‘Time and Tide Bell’: “Time and Tide Bell” is a permanent installation, existing of 12 bells around the U.K. in several very different locations, rung by the sea at high tide. The rise of the water at high tide moves the clapper to strike the bell. Played by the movement of the waves, the bell creates a varying, gentle musical pattern.
My personal interpretation of this is that for music to be created, then the waves must will it to do so. Only nature can be involved in the creation of this music. And, as the site quotes: As the effect of global warming increases, the periods of bell strikes will become more and more frequent, and as the bell becomes submerged in the rising water the pitch will vary.
The fact that a change in nature will also change the strikes of the bells is perhaps a message that is trying to be conveyed through this installation.
My interpretation of many of the pictures of removed is that not only have we become obsessed with consuming media through technology. The technology is starting to become an extension of us and our lives. A deeper interpretation perhaps, is that this subject of technology addiction is taboo and the pictures are exploring this taboo. The pictures went viral because for once, it made us think rather than just consuming media through our phones. No one wants to talk about our obsession because everyone is obsessed.
I believe that I should be approaching the Removed sound installation in a similar way to the Time and Tide Bell. While the Time and Tide Bell was actually a musical piece as a whole, it still pushed a message forward through music. I think this is an important point to remember when creating.