The Golden Gate Bridge is commonly associated with visual experiences, a perennial “must see” on every Bay Area visitor’s to-do list. But in Bill Fontana’s interpretation, the bridge became less a “sight” than a site defined by sound. His installation featured sounds captured by sensors on various parts of the bridge and Fort Point, transmitted live to the exhibition space, along with video of the underside of an expansion joint. By focusing attention on auditory experiences, Fontana’s installation suggested new ways of understanding the spaces around us.
- Video: Bill Fontana
- Installation Views
Bill Fontana, Acoustical Visions of the Golden Gate Bridge, 2012 (installation view); photo: Jan Stürmann
Bill Fontana, Acoustical Visions of the Golden Gate Bridge, 2012 (installation view); photo: Jan Stürmann
Bill Fontana, Acoustical Visions of the Golden Gate Bridge, 2012 (installation view); photo: Ben Blackwell
Bill Fontana, Acoustical Visions of the Golden Gate Bridge, 2012 (installation view); photo: Jan Stürmann
For the last 40 years, Bill Fontana has created site-specific aural installations around the globe using sound as a sculptural medium. His work has been exhibited internationally at leading museums and art fairs, including the Whitney Museum of American Art; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Museum Ludwig, Cologne; Tate Modern, London; and the 48th Venice Biennale.