Sabisha Friedberg

 

When Justin Luke of AVA (Audio Visual Arts) approached me to do a show at his space in the East Village, I was very enthused because it is one of the only galleries specifically dedicated to sound art. The dimensions of the space make it a welcome challenge in terms of conceiving an appropriate installation. One's ideas have to be very concerted and considered, sublimating the elements to the essential. I think that the most interesting venues in New York right now are these kind of contained and focused environments. For this exhibition I am inspired by and have proposed the idea of levitation as a conceptual framework. I address it through calculated frequency interplay within the space and by way of a sound sculpture, which I am developing into a series that demonstrates acoustic hovering. In addition, I present visuals as adjunct to the sound piece: invented schematics based on arcane sciences, narrative drawings, and various self-penned texts. Outside are speakers above, with which Justin makes music available subtly to passersby on the street. I have a program list of music from the late turn of the 19th century to early teens—a vibrant time of sound and recording discoveries. As the inside exhibition alludes to a lofty esotericism, I chose tunes for the exterior that were specifically brazen and profane.