SHAWN ROSS
Everyday Echoes
April 12, 2024
Open to public 6pm – 7pm performance
art gallery PKULTRA presents Everyday Echoes, Shawn Ross’s first major exhibition in
the Seattle space, a one-hour live performance April 12, 2024 from 6pm to 7pm.
Everyday Echoes is the first public presentation of a multi -year ongoing project.
art gallery PKULTRA presents the exhibition Everyday Echoes, Shawn Ross’s first major exhibition in
the Seattle space, a one-hour live performance April 12, 2024 from 6pm
A live performance of recorded sounds from Ross's life mixed with ambient live sound in real
time on site, Everyday Echoes draws from the artist’s library of over 2,000 minutes of recorded
sound on audio cassette. Amplified through an artist designed and intentionally placed multichannel
sound system, visitors are invited to create their own internalized, site-specific experiences.
live performance of recorded sounds from Ross's life mixed with ambient live sound in real
time on site, Everyday Echoes draws from the artist’s library of over 2,000 minutes
recorded sound on audio cassette. Amplified through artist designed and intentionally placed
multichannel sound system, visitors are invited to create their own internalized, site-specific
experiences. This work elevates sounds of everyday life, presenting them as special elements that facilitate
engagement and connection to place. As listeners navigate this sonic landscape, they not only
learn to appreciate the “unheard” sounds of life but also play a crucial role in completing the
site-specifisite-specific componentc component by crafting the final site within themselves.
This work elevates sounds of everyday life, presenting them as special elements that facilitate
engagement and connection place. As listeners navigate this sonic landscape, they not only
learn to appreciate the “unheard” sounds of life but also play crucial role in completing the
by crafting the final site within themselves. Informed from a profound experience of hearing loss during early adulthood, the artist presents the sounds of everyday life in vivid, heightened detail. Everyday Echoes is a groundbreaking exploration of sound, time, and connection, inviting audiences to rethink their relationship with Informed from profound experience of hearing loss during early adulthood, the artist presents the sounds of everyday life in vivid, heightened detail. Everyday Echoes is a groundbreaking
exploration of sound, time, and connection, inviting audiences to rethink their relationship with
the world around them.
Artist bio
Shawn Ross is a Seattle-based interdisciplinary artist whose work traverses the analog and
digital, working in sound, sculpture, self-built equipment, upcycled materials and the written
word, his projects often refer to the histories of Conceptual and Land art, with an emphasis on
precise minimalist design and abstraction. His work seeks to intertwine discourse around place,
memory, and nomadic site specificity, activating questions around our connection to it all.
Rooted in a tangible sense of material and the intangible medium of sound, and often
Shawn Ross is a Seattle-based interdisciplinary artist whose work traverses the analog and
digital, working in sound, sculpture, self-built equipment, upcycled materials and the written
word, his projects often refer to the histories of Conceptual and Land art, with
precise minimalist design and abstraction. His work seeks emphasis on intertwine discourse around place,
. «y, und nomadic site specificity, activating questions around our connection
u tangible sense of material and the intangible medium of sound, and often
referencing the vocabulary of land art pioneers, Oulipo writers, and Hauntology, Shawn
rafarancinea the vocabulary of land art pioneers, Oulipo writers, and Hauntology, Shawn
explores how we make connections to a place that may or may not exist, and how those
connections affect our lives.
For further information, please visit the artists website shawnrossart.com
Exhibition title: “Sonic Spectra of Time”
Location: 2323 3rd Ave Alleyway Seattle 98121
Chronology: Friday April 12, 2024, 6-7pm rain or shine
Local artist Shawn Ross invites audiences to embark on a captivating sonic journey with his latest long-form sound performance, "Sonic Spectra of Time." The project delves into the profound questions of connection to place and the emotional resonance of geographic locations.
Ross, inspired by his personal exploration of disconnectedness, employs audio as the primary medium to investigate the concept of connection. "Sonic Spectra of Time" intentionally engages with the mundane, aiming to foster a distinctive connection to a location through the immersive experience of sound.
The performance consists of two interconnected pieces, each contributing to the overarching theme of time, place, and life. The first piece, titled "Field Voice Vignettes (2023-ongoing)," employs cassette tapes as a metaphor for the tangible and ephemeral qualities of time. Ross records site sounds at specific times chosen by an algorithm, capturing the essence of various locations without revealing their identities. The recorded scripts, describing each place, are then overlaid as voiceovers, creating an archive that evolves over thirteen year length of the project.
The second piece, "Everyday Echoes (2023-ongoing)," takes the form of a live performance where random sounds from Ross's life are mixed on-site at a specific time for the audience. Unlike the first piece, this project lacks an archival component, allowing the abstraction of
sound during the performance and empowering listeners to create their own internalized, site specific experiences.
"Sonic Spectra of Time" challenges conventional perceptions by isolating, disconnecting, and abstracting recorded audio without accompanying visuals. This intentional act compels listeners to engage mentally, creating visuals through memory recall or contrived imagery. The boundary between reality and non-reality blurs, giving rise to a hyperreality within each listener—an internal third place.
Ross's work elevates the seemingly mundane sounds of everyday life, presenting them as special elements that facilitate engagement and connection to place. As listeners navigate this sonic landscape, they not only learn to appreciate the "unheard" sounds of life but also play a crucial role in completing the site-specific component by crafting the final site within themselves.
"Sonic Spectra of Time" is a groundbreaking exploration of sound, time, and connection, inviting audiences to rethink their relationship with the world around them. The long-form performance promises to leave a lasting impression on those who experience its transformative journey. (didactic courtesy the artist).
