Sonic Memories
Sean O'Reilly
March 17 - April 17, 2009

Sonic Memories (installation view), mixed media installation, 2009

Memories can be triggered by a number of things – a verse of a song, an old photograph, the smell of a grandmother’s basement. Often these memories are extremely vivid, and can bring back a flood of thoughts and emotions that are associated with a specific event or period of one’s life. With this installation, Sean O'Reilly explores the ability of sounds to call to mind these often very specific memories. Installed in a dark space, it is left up to the listeners, and the associations they make with the sounds, to paint the picture.

Recently he has been experimenting with different ways of controlling and modulating audio. The use of light levels, controlled by the listener’s flashlight, seems a fitting way to allow an interactive exploration of these memories. As well as, the darkness in the space both emphasizes the focus on sounds and works to instill a sense of exploration.

"The soundscapes presented in this work are made up of some of the sounds that have taken me on unexpected journeys into the past. While these sounds were chosen based on their relations to each other in my memories, the context that each listener associates the sound with will create a unique collection of sonic memories."

Sean O’Reilly is in his 4th year of his B.Sc. in biochemistry. An intersection between science and sound, his major area of interest is in the physical properties of sound waves as they make their way to the ear and the way in which these sounds are perceived and processed in the brain. Often his work involves modulating sounds through unconventional means, such as varying light levels, frequencies or volume. Past work has included the performances of several original pieces for the Mosaic concert series at the Queen’s School of Music. He has also been involved in sound design for the Plastic People Theatre Company and Theatre Kingston and has played saxophone and guitar in afrobeat and salsa bands in the Kingston community.