(Graham Greene)
You are confronted with yourself in these places. Silence is often seen as something soothing, but it is also frightening. It feels unnatural, especially for modern man. We constantly produce sound. In the desert there is no auditory or visual distraction. It is 40 degrees, day in day out. There is no one to talk to. You are hundreds of kilometres away from the nearest village or gas station. There is nothing romantic or idyllic about such an environment. After three days I was suffering from desert madness. You realise that the quietness you hear means that there is really nobody or nothing out there.
(interview with Peter Lenaerts)
Recorded along the Oodnadatta Track in South Australia, December 11-21, 2011.
Peter Lenaerts is a sound artist and composer in the fields of performance art, contemporary dance and film. He believes that in a culture dominated by visuals, nothing is as powerful, intense, and rewarding as simply listening.
http://www.surfacenoise.be/peter
Price: £5 plus postage and packing. CDr Limited edition of 50
