Slaap my kindjie, slaap sag, an analysis of voice in sound art with reference to song

Abstract

This research comprises of two parts: a written report, and an original artwork. The primary theoretical intention of the written report is to position the use of voice and song in art within the discourse of Sound Art. This is done through an historical overview of Sound Art and voice, discussing, defining and contextualizing it through a synopsis of the work of artists who incorporate it in their art practice. The study specifically focuses on the 2010 Turner Prize winner, Susan Philipsz, concentrating on her use of voice and song, as well as on her exploration of site-specificity, architectural acoustics and the disembodied voice. The second component of the study, an original artwork entitled Slaap my kindjie, slaap sag, is introduced in the third chapter. It serves as an investigation into the use of voice and song within architectural space, serving as an artistic response to my Afrikaner identity in the city of Johannesburg.