The auricular dimension is one that is understood through sound: it often exists in a subliminal state in western art and culture, both of which tend to prioritize the visual over other perceptions. Auricular: a series of writing on sound is a new publication project presented by Decoy Magazine, which focuses on art practices that are not driven by image alone but by investigations into the field of sound art and research. Through multiple articles, we will examine the artists and institutions in Vancouver B.C. that produce and present creative practices in sound, as well as examine how the interplay between visual and aural media is evolving, in an attempt to more acutely define the role of the ear in witnessing art.

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-Series Editor: David Cowling

  

Improvising and Refining: An Interview with Stefan Smulovitz 

(April 2016)

“‘This is all you need to know about me,’ Stefan Smulovitz says, holding what could best be described as a franken-doll — it’s one of many. All are neatly dressed amalgamations of materials his mom finds at thrift stores, one with a dinosaur face and frog hands, while another with the head of a flamingo. His mom sends them to him in boxes and he has about 100. Interestingly enough, these dolls are a lot like the works Stefan produces but in a different medium. Stefan is the inventor of Kenaxis, a music performance software he uses to manipulate and work with sounds he’s collected. He utilizes Kenaxis to turn his laptop into an instrument, which he uses, along with the viola, to improvise and create music….” (read more)
 

Playing in the Dark: A Conversation with Constantine Katsiris

(February 2015)

“Sound, and the art produced within its realm, is difficult to define. Its language largely borrowed and physical manifestations invisible, sound is often at the mercy of terms appropriated from visual and tactile diction. I sat down with Constantine Katsiris (Scant Intone) to begin a dialogue on sound art and new music — one that will continue over the coming months in our new series Auricular. Within the manufactured cacophony of a Main St. cafe Constantine and I discussed quietude, development of communities, and attitudes towards archiving and documenting the ephemeral performances of sound…”(read more)

 

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