"Echoes of Fusinato – Noise/Signal Disruption in the work of Samuel Beilby and CurtisTaylor"

Description

Abstract: This paper discussed the recent work of two Western Australian artists – Samuel Beilby and Curtis Taylor – against the history of uses of noise in artistic practice as an emancipatory and disruptive sonic material. Samuel Beilby’s microscopic investigations into the sounds of new industry – fulfillment centres and automated production – seek to find possible moments of human leverage amongst inhuman conditions. Recently showing at both Dark Mofo and Sweet Pea, Martu artist Curtis Taylor makes work about the complex power of swearing, profanity and use of slurs identifies a contemporary form of disruptive aurual punctuation. Given the recent showing of Marco Fusinato’s DESASTRES at the 2022 Venice Biennale, questions emerge around the possible uses of noise in our contemporary world – can noise still disrupt signal when that signal is a complex, and possibly intelligent force of audiovisual hegemonic control? Drawing from Mattin's notion of social dissonance – that arrangements of social performance and artmaking can heighten and draw resources from forces of alienation that are otherwise oppressive – this paper will carve out a path toward possible futures of noise-based work, fitted to disrupt and challenge the totality of commodified digital interface.