Adjacent to my core interests in landscape, social ecology, and spatial politics, the projects documented here represent other facets of my work, especially my longstanding interest in radical pedagogy, grassroots and DIY communications, and the power and constraints of public speech.


Voices of America

About

“Voices of America” was a web platform to promote and facilitate the remixing of coverage of the American elections generated by the government-funded Voice of America radio network. It was designed to allow international participants to ‘speak back’ to the historic, if still spectacle-driven, 2008 election and to give Americans access to this peculiar governmental self-presentation. The project culminated in an election day listening party. The website, thevoa.net, is no longer live, but a screenshot is posted below.

Credit

Kanouse, Sarah and Lee Azzarello, “Voices of America,” 2008.

Exhibitions

Sea & Space Gallery, Los Angeles, CA – ”The Audacity of Desperation,” October 26-November 16, 2008.

The UnConvention, Minneapolis, MN – August 30-November 7, 2008.

DEMO Space 122, New York, NY – ”The Audacity of Desperation,” June 19-22, 2008.

Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center, Urbana, IL – ”The Audacity of Desperation,” May 7-June 15, 2008.


Solar Micropower Transmitter Network

About

This is a proposal for a distributed network of solar microbroadcasting transmitters. Each unit can be made for less than $50 and  is designed to flood the airwaves of the immediate area with homegrown music, voices, noise, and sound. It is powered by a rechargeable battery and solar panel and housed in an ordinary circuit box to be mounted outside and left to its own devices for days or weeks at a time. Possible applications include covert political speech, alternative historical or environmental education stations, and direct public participation in the electromagnetic spectrum. Deploying a network of these low-cost transmitters around a neighborhood or a city opens up many practical and symbolic possibilities.

Download as PDF: Micropower Zine

Credit

Sarah Kanouse, “Solar Micropower Transmitter Network,” 2007.

Exhibition

Columbia College, Chicago, IL – “Pass it On: Connecting Contemporary DIY Culture,” March 1-April 14, 2007.


The Public Square

About

While microphones record museum murmurings in a square claimed as public, people gather to make public what before was merely space.

For the three-week duration of the MFA exhibition at the Krannert Art Museum, in Champaign, IL, participatory events occured daily in roaming public spaces around the city. Museum viewers become speakers by using microphones to rupture the spectatorship, privilege, and permanence of the public museum, and spectators become discussants by joining or questioning the gatherings. The sounds from each location are relayed to the other space to contrast the implicit or explicit limits on engagement established by those who monitor, manage, and control.

The Public Square website

Credit

Sarah Kanouse, “The Public Square,” microradio broadcasts, webstream, installation, and website, 2004.

Exhibitions and Awards

Memefest 2004, Ljubljana, Slovenia – Award of Excellence.

Krannert Art Museum, Champaign, IL – “MFA Thesis Exhibition,” April 24- May 16, 2004.