CHENG Wan-Chien
Drumming in the Ears
- 2022, sound installation, 40 min.
- Courtesy of the artist.
Curatorial Perspective
From time to time, high-pitched sounds (4,000-8,000 hertz (Hz)) are heard in both the left and right ears, for about 3 seconds or sometimes 5-10 seconds. This is a symptom of tinnitus. In different spaces, random ringing in the ears and the body create interesting connections. In this work, a multi-channel device, used to simulate the ear canal, is situated between a stairway and an irregularly lost space. From aluminum pipes on the wall come high-frequency sounds. As the body moves, high-frequency sounds of different Hz are heard and disappear because of time differences. In the courtyard, low-frequency sounds from four-channel speakers cause the eardrum to vibrate, creating an impromptu soundscape in the ear canal.
Creation Description
From time to time, high-pitched sounds (4,000-8,000 hertz (Hz)) are heard in both the left and right ears, for about 3 seconds or sometimes 5-10 seconds. This is a symptom of tinnitus. In different spaces, random ringing in the ears and the body create interesting connections. There can be a high-frequency crescendo that fades or sounds that mimic partially blocked air flow in a tunnel, as if a musician is improvising a performance in the ears. In crowded noisy spaces, the ringing starts up again. Loud high-frequency sounds cover up external sounds and, for less than 10 seconds, there is unprecedented tranquility. In this work, a multi-channel device, used to simulate the ear canal, is situated between a stairway and an irregularly shaped space. From aluminum pipes on the wall come high-frequency sounds. As the body moves, high-frequency sounds of different Hz are heard and disappear because of time differences. In the courtyard, low-frequency sounds from four-channel speakers cause the eardrum to vibrate, creating an impromptu soundscape in the ear canal.
Work
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Drumming in the Ears2022, sound installation, 40 min. Courtesy of the artist.
Artist Bio
Born in Pingtung, Taiwan, Cheng Wan-Chien graduated with an MA in Sound Arts at the University of the Arts London and is currently living in Taipei. Having studied classical music since childhood, she became fascinated by the fleeting nature of sound and began to study the various facets of 'hearing'. Cheng specializes in inspiring and altering the listener's imagination of sound through the combination of field recordings, object sound installations and sound generated by synthesizers. Her artistic practice encompasses the elderly communities, social events, cultural observation, memory and the perceptibility of sound with a dynamic body of work that spans sound installation, video, live improvisation, experimental music performance, and co-creation with amateurs.