Simon Whetham

Since 2005 Simon Whetham has developed a practice of working with sonic activity as a raw material for creation. He uses environmental sound, employing a variety of methods and techniques in order to obtain often unnoticed and obscured sonic phenomena. When presenting work in a performance or installation, for him the space and the objects within become instruments to be played.

His artistic investigations have caused him to work increasingly in multi-disciplinary projects, leading his work to become more visual and tangible. He is currently exploring ways to retain physical traces of sound and transforming energy forms.

Channelling is a sound performance project in which a collection of salvaged motor devices is activated by sound recordings from the environment. In turn, this produces new sounds from the devices, which are amplified using various microphones and techniques.

The recordings feature phenomena that occur unpredictably and irregularly in everyday life – passing traffic, wind, doors closing – and because of this the movement of the devices is random, variable and autonomous.

The project changes and adapts to its environment. Devices are added to the collection or removed, and the sounds of the location change the triggering and movement of the devices each time. The performance and method of presentation evolves and refines with each iteration. Channelling AV gives the audience two intimate views of the performing devices.

simonwhetham.co.uk/channellingav