steve roden
eyes closed listening, 1998-2003

i have been working on drawings with my eyes closed listening to sounds for years - particularly when travelling as a way of creating a visual counterpoint to the activity of making audio field recordings. these small works on paper do not represent sound maps in a literal sense; but are simply visual works that allow the activity of listening to be the sole influence the movements of my hands. they are visual field recordings, influenced by the sounds of places and moments. i have shown some of these at the betty rhymer gallery at the chicago art institute, as well as gallery e/static in torino italy, and the sun valley center for the arts in idaho.

this is the text that accompanied the betty rhymer show:

these drawings were all done with my eyes closed,
listening to a space or place or event.
i have been doing drawings with my eyes closed for years
as a simple visual activity.
the first one that was specifically tied to the activity of listening
and 'recording' sound,
was done in a liverpool hotel room with watercolors in 1998.
this series of drawings is very much related to rilke's text 'primal sound'.
i imagine my fingers, pen, pencil, or brush are like a needle,
inscribing the sounds i hear on to a wax surface.
drawing as a physical act of recording.
the activity of listening to a very quiet soundscape or event
informs all of my work as a sound maker.
these drawings are the result of my activities as a listener...

all drawings are ink, watercolor, or pencil on paper and approx. 3" x 5" or 5" x 5".








click here to see a series of similar drawings from my schindler house project.

home

bio

exhibition &
performance history

images

discography

interviews

press

contact