In an exploration of the concept of memory and ‘social amnesia’, artist Raul Ortega Ayala approached INITION with the intent of finding a new way to represent a historic moment in American politics.
Quick Facts
- Who: Artist, Raul Ortega Ayala
- What: ’18 and a half minutes’ – 3D Audio Sculpture
- Where: Part of the Ethnographic Terminalia: The Bureau of Memories in Washington, D.C.
- When: 3-7 December 2014.
BRIEF
Artist, Raul Ortega Ayala, commissioned INITION to produce a 3D print of multiple sound forms as part of his ‘18 and a half minutes’ group of works for the ‘Bureau of Memories: Archives and Ephemera’ exhibit in Washington.
SOLUTION
The project, based on the 18 and a half minutes’ worth of white noise contained within a recording taken during a conversation between Richard Nixon and his chief-of-staff, Bob Haldeman, required INITION to interpolate sound data provided by Ayala.
Using the sound data – from the 18 and a half minutes of white noise – we created an audio spectrum followed by a displacement map which was used to represent depth. From this, we extracted a 3D representation of the noise which was then 3D printed as a physical form.
RESULTS
The resulting sculpture was exhibited at Ethnographic Terminalia 2014 in Washington, D.C. – The Bureau of Memories from 3-7 December 2014.
