While the term “sound art” only came into being in the 1980s, sound in the visual arts has a far longer history, ranging from Modernist experiments with synesthesia to the avant-garde exploits of Dada and Futurism. Sound art also has a distinctly musical heritage, emerging from the compositional experiments of John Cage, Tony Conrad, La Monte Young, Maryanne Amacher, and Pauline Oliveros, among others. This lecture will trace a brief history of sound in the arts in the 20th century from the historical avant-garde to the present. We will listen to landmark recordings in this history and discuss why, even today, the term “sound art” remains elusive.

$15 door fee for guests and subscribers (no fee for members)