Electromagnetic Sound Art

Electronic music producer, researcher and installation artist Joe Banks discusses “National Grid” - the highly influential sound installation, recording and performance concept, which Joe produces under the aegis of the art project Disinformation. “National Grid” is a work of electromagnetic sound art, originally created using VLF-band radio technology, later using direct line noise from live mains electricity. “National Grid” was first performed live and published on LP in 1996, and first exhibited as an art gallery sound installation in 1997. “National Grid” has since been exhibited and performed nearly 40 times, most recently at the Fort Process Festival in 2018. This presentation discusses technical, musical and symbolic aspects of “National Grid”, in relation to art history, to experimental and classical music, and in relation to literature, featuring short readings from the writers H.G. Wells, William F. Temple and Bruno Schulz.