Good news everyone! On June 7th I premiered a new sounds installation at the Valentine Museum. I was supposed to uninstall it June 22nd, but due to popular demand it will remain for at least the rest of the summer! Below is a little preview and artistic statement:
It's Birds is a multi-channel sound installation that takes the sonic sensibilities from Watkins's 2017 music release Respite and both deconstructs and expands its elements into a site specific piece. It utilizes synthesized sounds and heavily processed stringed instruments to maintain a meditative auditory experience while providing it's listeners a different experience depending on their relation to the speakers, and embraces the randomization of un-synchronized audio loops to create an experience that doesn't repeat the same way twice throughout its duration. Lastly it's also a lighthearted sonic jab at the terrifying bird sounds being amplified at the nearby John Marshall Courts Building. It asks: if it's possible to amplify actual bird sounds and cause repulsion, is it possible to amplify synthesized bird sounds and cause bliss?