RICHARD
CHARTIER:
RADAR MAGAZINE #3 (US)
RICHARD
CHARTIER
Performance @ the Contemporary Museum
The
medium of choice for artist Richard Chartier is sound, which
he explores with a subtlety and restraint rarely found in the
world of "electronic music."
His
compositions explore the substance of sound itself, utilizing
a remarkably varied sonic palette; from high-pitched beeps and
whirrs, to unfathomably low drone and almost imperceptible tones,
to a varied cast of electronic hisses, crackles, sizzles, and
microscopic pops.
Chartier's
work could easily be defined as minimal or sparse, but it deftly
moves between periods of contemplative near silence to sections
of enveloping waves of sound, completely transforming the space
and physically those within it.
Although
Chartier's stage presence is less than thrilling-a slow motion
version of the ubiquitous "guy behind the laptop twiddling knobs"-
it presents no distraction if you close your eyes in order to
truly experience the sonic environment he is creating.
Chartier's
restraint certainly does not make for "easy listening," but
for those willing to meet the work halfway the often difficult
journey is well worth the trouble
-
Ryan McCabe
