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Recent publications on the urban past, that is, prior to the twentieth century, have examined how urban spaces; cities and towns have evolved physically, geographically and socially. The key studies have however, focused on the physical, examining changes in construction, development and industry; the landscape. Ecological alongside environmental studies have focused on how these physical transformations have impacted on the environment, both the urban and rural landscape. This focus on the physicality of space ignores the phenomenological and ephemeral use of space. Space becomes defined as pathways and trajectories in which one encounters objects; a predominantly visible world. It also ignores the sonic trajectories, immersive experiences and even physical impact of sound within space. The ubiquitous nature of sound and the fact that it is invisible makes it easy to ignore, it only comes under scrutiny when it becomes too loud to ignore, or too quiet for comfort. My work examines these concepts as starting points to constructing a work; sometimes the material dictates the medium, ideas may suggest spaces such as radio, performance or installation. My work, since 2002, has operated within a transdisciplinary field, exploring ideas through social theory, psychology, geography, psychoacoustics and music.

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Linda O Keeffe is secretary to the Irish Sound Science and Technology Association and editor of the Interference Journal. Her practice is concerned with an exploration, both academic and creative, of the ways in which sound alters the experience of different spaces. Her art training was within the sculpture department of IADT under the tutelage of Finola Jones and Mick Wilson. I Completed a Masters in Virtual Reality in NCAD under Kevin Atherton. I have just completed a PhD in sociology in NUIM, which examined the urban soundscape of Dublin city. This research examined the urban soundscape as socially and technologically co-constructed. O Keeffe has composed for dance, theatre, quartets, and new instrument performers, installed sound installations for commissions in Ireland, China and Holland, and has had radio works performed both nationally and internationally. In 2008 O Keeffe mentored under Eric Leonardson in Chicago, a sound artist and performer. More recently, she was commissioned by Resonance FM to create a work for radio for the 2013 Derry city of culture event. Current projects include a creative project exploring interactive performances for older people with the composer David Ogborn.

Past Residencies