Jonathan Wilson

Born 1977, Australia
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Hons)
Graduation show: 1997, 1998 (Hons)
Graduation ceremony: 1998, 1999 (Hons)


Artwork in Space YZ

Inner Ear (detail), 1998/2021
Sound
6:07 mins


It’s been interesting thinking about the physical works I made at art school, mostly because I don’t make objects anymore. Most of the works I made during this time were attempts at representing sound-based ideas and concepts. I don’t think I understood what I was doing or even had access to the tech to create what I was thinking about. At the time I had become obsessed by the idea of using the body as an ear and spent my time daydreaming of new ways to communicate through feeling sound. I began experimenting with sub frequencies that were below audible registers and ended up creating physical sculptural forms to house the specific sonics. Researching the inner ear, I aimed to visually represent elements of the shape and functionality of the ear as well as the ways in which we hear through sculptural works. This sound work is a recreation of a fragment of my final honour’s year work Inner Ear. It was the core component that tied together three identical 3-meter spiral shaped wooden sculptures. The sound pulsed and vibrated the objects, attempting to represent a lo-fi communication with the people who viewed it as well as between the objects themselves.

Following university, I found myself stepping away from physical forms of making and continued my work strictly in sound and music. As a result, it has made more sense to represent Inner Ear as the sonic texture only.

UWS was such fantastic place to be through the mid 90’s. I was very young when I started in 1995, I turned 18 in July of my first year. I really had no idea what I was doing but lectures and tutors like Joan Grounds, Michael Goldberg, Mikala Dwyer, Chris Fortescue, Debra Porch and Nolene Lucas all pushed me in ways I could never have imagined. From carving out large chunks of space in the studios for me to make and experiment, to connecting me with engineering and audio departments, they were incredible. They also made me go bigger and bigger with every work I made, which was totally unexpected. 

Over the last 20-plus years, the sense of freedom and experimentation instilled in me from this core group of lectures at UWS has permeated my music and arts career. I have worked across community engagement, film and television scoring, played in moderately successful pop and rock bands, released experimental albums, run an international record label and management company and now work in music curation. When starting out at UWS I had no idea where I would end up, I just knew I didn’t want to study something I understood. The unknown was encouraged at art school and I think that has stayed with me. Never stop learning, never stop evolving and always keep making wherever I am at. I think I have Joan, Mikala, Debra, Noelene, Chris and Michael to thank for that. So, thanks.