radio sound system

sound system / mobile radio station / music instrument

Studio 174, Downtown Kingston, Jamaica, 2016

Radio Sound System is a miniaturised mobile radio station and a sound system. 

This first Radio Sound System emerged from a series of sound investigations, sonic interventions and open radio studios during the artist residency at the Studio 174, in Downtown Kingston, Jamaica in Summer 2014 and 2015.

Initiating a series of collaborative radio sessions in public space, the necessity to amplify the sound, and the lack of an adequate sound system, encouraged to use the radio transmissions to invite all neighbours to join the events in person, and to bring their radio receivers. Transmitting and receiving the transmission simultaneously with the radios in the crowd caused a see-saw like effect: the more people joined the radio shows the louder the events became.

Considering radio practice as a collaborative sonic strategy, and conceiving of the sound system in this way, proposed to merge some of the radios into what became a Radio Sound System, – a mobile and miniaturised radio station and sound system. Flirting with the traditional Sound Systems of Downtown Kingston, Radio Sound System was established as a contribution to the Kingston Arts Academy in 2016. Radio Sound System is accessible at the Studio 174 and can be used be interested practitioners as a tool for art practice and research, organisation and facilitation of site-specific radio shows, interventions and performances in the neighbourhood, as a musical instrument and more.

Founded in 2005 by artist Rosemarie Chung, Studio 174, is a non-profit arts studio and arts academy in Downtown Kingston. The artist residency was possible due to the enormous support and commission by Openvizor.

 
 
 
 
Commissioned by Openvizor.