A look into Hong-Kai Wang
Hong-Kai Wan is a sound artist from Taiwan. She works with sound conceptually and explores the construction of new social space. Her work is highly collaborative and relies heavily on a process-driven approach.
I looked into her project “Music While You Work” which aimed to analyse the background noises that everyday people are surrounded by during their daily work. I found it interesting to see how she gravitated towards focusing on industrial sounds, and she highlights the fact that these sounds are something she experienced throughout her childhood, growing up in an industrial town. It’s interesting to me how this investigation is linked to her own memories and personal feelings of nostalgia, and this implementation of her past in her work is something that inspires me and my own work.
In the investigation, she attempted to take part in the work processes before realising an observational method would only be possible due to her lack of experience in the field. The investigation led her to look more into the communicative language of the workers within the field, and the recordings sparked her interest in discovering more about the process of work.
I found this study quite memorable, which came as a surprise as I am someone who is generally put off by loud, industrial sounds. I can relate to the desire to be immersed in a sonic world that relates to your childhood. I lived close to a forest as a child during the time I discovered my interest in sound. It was also then that I discovered my unwavering interest in naturalistic sounds, and I always enjoy seeing researchers implement their own personal experience into their work.