The works by Sze Tsung Leong explored the removal of older buildings for the construction of new buildings. His photographs were taken in Beijing which showed the same issues we deal with in America can be found the world over. This is something we have come across in our readings. In the readings about fast food restaurant chains we learned that the buildings are only made to last about ten years, at which point a new building is often constructed, also allowing the remodeling of architectural features to follow modern tastes. Reading about this is one thing but to see it in front of you is something quite different, something more emotional.
However, one of the most moving pieces for me was the sound installation by Nat Slaughter that followed you throughout the exhibit. I live downtown and the sound of Marta buses starting up or car horns often put me to sleep at night. Therefore, I did not notice that the sounds were not outside the gallery until the end when the curator explained the piece to us. It was only then I closely listened to it. I knew the gallery was not located on a particularly busy street but I am so accustomed to it, it never occur ed to me that the sounds were out of place. When I began to closely listen to the piece the variation in the sounds were very interesting. The artists walked through several sections of metro Atlanta and recorded the surrounding sounds. This lead to times of silence other than the sounds of the artist walking and birds chirping. Other times you could hear Marta buses stopping and starting. This reminded me of our readings of the strip, where flat landscapes give way to areas of high density commercial architecture. I never thought about these spaces as being more than areas of buildings. However these areas are also concentrated areas of activity and sound.
Good.
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