Living Room 2011: National Grid

Most people take for granted the electrical energy that much of modern life is reliant on but Disinformation uses it to create hypnotic drone music by manipulating electromagnetic noise from mains transformers and the ambient radio field created by electricity pylons. For Living Room, Disinformation will produce a new incarnation of the on-going National Grid project, creating a sound installation that takes a live feed from local power sources to amplify electrical activity from the surrounding Britomart precinct.

Situated in the downtown hub of Auckland’s CBD, Disinformation will plug you into the network to savour the deep, pulsing sounds and surprising dynamics of Auckland’s power supply. National Grid has been described as a soundtrack for the genius of electrification, and for the bitter conflicts between the UK government and organised labour for control over electrical infrastructure. As part of the Living Room’s series of artist talks, Disinformation founder Joe Banks will also demonstrate the findings of his ”Rorschach Audio” research project, an investigation into the ghostly voices found in sound recordings.

About Living Room 2011:
Living Room, Auckland Council’s annual 10-day public art event, kicks off again in April and will feature artists from all over the world, as well as some well known local faces branching out.

Living Room 2011: Metropolis Dreaming runs from 8-17 April in various public places in Auckland’s CBD. There will be a mix of installations, performances, sound art, video projections and a poster project. Acknowledging that the city is both a cultural and technological hub, the programme will include social projects that highlight the human dynamics of urban life.

This year’s theme, Metropolis Dreaming, encourages people to expand their reality through a celebration of post-industrial urban life. The Italian Futurist movement and their excitement about the clamour and bustle of the machine age inspired the theme chosen by guest curator Andrew Clifford. Metropolis Dreaming projects will spotlight the actual mechanics of the city’s systems, transforming its functional, everyday structures from a routine backdrop into imaginative possibilities.

Event listed by Rebecca Lawson

View their other events or contact promoter