John Cage: What would you say if while presenting your sound work, something was at least audible?

I personally feel that the sounds heard in the space of ones own work should be embraced, these sounds would differ between every listener thus personalising it.

For example John Cages piece ‘4.33’ challenges the idea of silence, especially a paying audience. Each time this piece is (isn’t) played, the background sounds will differ due to location, the audience, time etc. Although the piece in theory is ‘absolute’ silence, silence will never be achieved. Cage illustrates to us that he/us can create sound and challenge the idea of it at the same time. Every time Cage would change the performance sheet, the crowd would burst into a coughing fit. The sequenced coughing between movements ultimately becomes the music, and thus Cage the artist.

Thoughts from Classmates;

• “It’s part of sharing and showcasing art that its initial intentions will be changed due to people always creating or relating personal meanings from things”
• “Do we think of the audience and environment as taking part of the communication and relationship or are we thinking of them as consumers?” *
• “João Gilberto would threat people if they would keep coughing during his show”
• “You can try to reduce as much as possible but in the same way the audience brings in their own influences and experiences into the viewing of your piece, they will each be hearing something else (breathing, heartbeat, ambience, footsteps)”

*In response to this question I feel that this depends on the desired outcome of the artist. An interesting (not really sound related) example would be to look at Andy Warhol, who really challenged this notion. In a sense Warhol treated his audience as consumers but he made it very clear that his ‘art’ was a product. Not only using household products to underline this, but in their creation at the ‘Factory’. On the other hand, Warhol’s work does have the ability to transcend its original product form. Due to the popularity of his art/prints Warhol handed ownership to ‘consumers’ thus making them actively involved. By this I mean Warhols popularity was strengthened by the community that talked about his work, took friends to exhibitions, bought a print, lent a t-shirt etc.