Persistent Pyramids by Anatoly Zenkov

Further inspiration here with Anatoly Zenkov's angular disruption of space seriously adding a different dimension to his photography.

Another proposed internal image

Above is a continuation of the idea of visually disrupting an image of the space to convey a suggestion of how noise exists there. Again, this is using the same angular grid pattern. (I'm quite liking the line of the applied geometry following that of the escalator.)

I'm also currently favouring the idea of not using any images of either people or books within this. I think that the images then become about an overview of a space and possibly have the objectivity that I mentioned when discussing my thoughts on axonometric views. I also believe that the lack of visitors within the illustrations makes them an ideal accompaniment to the CD: at least with regards to the sounds that fill these voids having no definition as to their root cause. The way I see it, this should then leave it open to interpretation and require more personal investment by the viewer/listener.

Axonometric views

The earlier experiment with the tessellated image got me thinking more about axonometric views. There's something brutally objective about them - probably owing to the fact that they don't try to seduce the eye with perspective. There's nothing to pull you into the image but instead they remain as two dimensional studies. Well... that's my current reading of them. So I'm thinking that this kind of format might suit this purpose. The angular nature of some of the photos - and the building itself - corresponds well. Subsequently this approach would ensure that the project's final outcome would intrinsically be linked to the architecture: again, forging that relationship between sound and the environment in which it exists. [They also relate to some of the views we have been using in 3D Max.]

This development would mean moving away from the circular forms [they would probably work for Manchester's Central Library] but I've already got ideas about how the sound shapes could be used in this more linear way. Plus it also presents the opportunity to keep the idea consistently running through text, images and layout through the use of a repeated parallelogram shape [itself made up of two equilateral triangles that additionally form a hexagon when repeated].

I think there's more than enough versatility/flexibility in this geometry to keep it interesting.

Library Rhythm print visualizations

I've just been playing around with the forms generated by the video below while also incorporating some elements of the photographs I've taken. One of the images (printed and scanned as described in an earlier post) is above.

The circular shape is something that has come up time and time again throughout this process: from cymatics through to their appearance in the Kate Moross videos and back further to the work of John & James Whitney and Jordan Belson. It's probably through this relationship that I felt the visualization below - where a circle is reconfigured by the sound - was somehow appropriate. I think I'm also influenced by the fact that sound formats like vinyl and CD plus, of course, speakers are also round. In fact I tried applying some text to the above image and (while perhaps less to do with the circular image than its square proportions) it took on the appearance of an album cover.

Discarded track 1 visualization idea

This idea isn't really working for me but it was just a bit of playing around to see how documentation of the environment coupled with visualizations of the sound might come together to give an impression of noise within the space. The bars represent the processed version of track one - or 2'03" as it is now known.

I have some more abstract images that I might try alongside the visualizations. I'm feeling it has to get beyond the figurative for it to be truly suggestive of what is a completely different sense to seeing. I've already pointed it out to Nicky (as I thought its layout was relevant to her project), but the Tomato book 'Process' is a bit of an influence right now as it has this visceral quality to it that I'd like to try and emulate here.

Stadsbiblioteket in Malmo

Another day, another country and yet another library. This one was just a short train journey from Copenhagen in Malmo, Sweden. Again, it was a calming space despite [because of?] its cathedral-like proportions.

One especially nice aspect of the architecture was the small study booths almost assembled like book cases along one side where people worked in relative seclusion whilst stacked up - three units high. Another clever addition was the checking in system which takes the books on a conveyor belt to be put back on display. To get there they travel under the floor with the publications visibly moving through the building under a glass panel.

We also got the wrong train on the way back. We mixed up 'Helsingor' and 'Helsingborg' and, instead of heading back to Denmark, we got to see some very grey Swedish countryside.

British Library photos

Visit to the British Library

I took a trip to the British Library today and hopefully got everything I needed. I recorded some of the sounds around the building and took plenty of photographs.

Although while I was there, I felt myself more attracted to the architecture of the place rather than the books. The recordings also seem to be noisier than I had expected although that might be because I am studying this perceived "silence". Subsequently the (fuzzy) image that I had in my head about what this project might look like has disappeared.

I also paid particular attention to the gift shop given that the focus of this project is now to use silence as a commodity and specific environments as a sign of quality to create a marketable product. More on that all later once I've had time to digest and post the material that I collected today. Plus the train journey helped me get on top of my reading while I managed to attack a chunk of the report too. On reflection, it wasn't a bad day at all.

(The above image, by the way, is today's checklist.)

Paul Octavious - The Book Collection

More here: Paul Octavious - The Book Collection.

Reply from The British Library #2

Via email:

"Dear Daniel,

As long as it is a hand held camera with no additional equipment, that should be fine and will not require supervision. It will also be fine to record background noise but not any individual conversations, etc.

Hope that helps.

Best wishes,
Chloé"

So that's that sorted. I just need to find a suitable time to head down to London and get what I need.

Reply to The British Library

Via email:

"Dear Chloe,

Many thanks for your reply dated 1st March 2010 in response to my request for permission to take photographs and record sound in The British Library.

To confirm, it would be using a hand held camera and no additional equipment. The purpose would be to document the environment - rather than the library's users - and would not be intrusive. I don't believe that I will require staff supervision.

With regards to the sound recordings, these will be made using a small hand held digital voice recorder - about the same size as a mobile phone. It is battery powered and has an in-built mic so does not require the use of any additional leads.

The purpose for this is to document the sounds/background noise in the library as part of a project that looks, in part, at what we refer to as silence. Both are part of my research for a MA Communication Design project that attempts to visualize sound.

Should you require any further clarification, do let me know.

Regards,
Daniel Cookney"

Reply from The British Library

A reply from the British Library arrived this morning. If it looks a bit crumpled, then that's because the dog got to it before I did.

It basically states that they require a little more information before they can grant permission but it doesn't look like photography with a hand held camera will be a problem in the public areas (the use of tripods and additional lighting would require the supervision of a member of the library's press office).

With regards to the recordings, they again need to confirm what equipment would be used plus they need information about whether it would be for the interviewing of library users or "simply recording the sounds of the library". The latter response suggests that my request isn't going to met with confusion.

The letter also contains the email address of the Press Assistant requiring the additional information so I'll send my reply electronically and hopefully get everything confirmed.

Amsterdam Library #2

Amsterdam Library #1

He should have been romancing his missus and/or getting so wrecked that he'd ride a bicycle into a canal, but somehow Dave found time to drop into Amsterdam Library on my behalf last weekend. He took the posted pictures and also managed to record some sound for me.

As a result, I owe him much more than the Haribo that I'll be taking with me to tomorrow's group tutorial.

Central Library, Manchester

I took some pictures at Central Library yesterday. I also got together some sound recordings. With the latter, I'll be picking up a better quality recording device next week but I'm up against it time-wise as Central Library will be closing soon for a massive renovation. When that starts, I'll have to check out the temporary space that the books will be occupying on Deansgate and see what kind of comparison can be made as far as both sight and sound goes.

Toulon library images

Blog layout #2

I've changed the banner above with one that utilises a photograph I took in the library at Toulon. I've got a whole pile of these and I particularly like the ones that divide the image in half - giving the impression that it's actually two cropped photos that have been joined together. The trick is lining up the camera's lens with the edge of the shelves to create that distinctive verticle divide. I also like the sense of stillness within these images. I'll post some of the others at some point.