In February of 2010, two local artists, Ashley Williams and Wes Milholen, organized an art show, The Center for the Study of the End of Things in a soon-to-be demolished former furniture store in Charlottesville, VA. The participants ranged from UVa students to established local artists. Sculptures, paintings, and installations were displayed in a variety of spaces. I was able to take over a small former office space near the center of the building that overlooked the showroom floor. I installed four speakers and a single microphone, put in red lights, and a single bright white spotlight recessed into a portal in the ceiling. The installation, which I titled Sound Study at the Center of the End of Things worked in five-minute cycles. It first recorded audio in the room for thirty seconds, then progressed through a five minute composition based on spectral manipulation of the audio. It was played loudly, and could build to a significant intensity.
[audio:http://www.petertraub.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Sound-Study-at-the-Center-of-the-End-of-Things.mp3|titles=Sound Study at the Center of the End of Things (2010)|artists=peter traub]I also performed a half-hour live set with fellow grad student, Erik Deluca (see slide show for photos).