2014
In Sonic Possible Worlds (2014), Salomé Voegelin uses Max Neuhaus to theorize sound as a "spatial generator" that allows listeners to inhabit alternative realities.
Voegelin positions Neuhaus’s work as a bridge between the physical world and the "possible" worlds of our perception:
The In-Between World: Voegelin argues that Neuhaus’s installations—like the Times Square hum—create a "sonic possible world" that exists simultaneously with the visual one. By not identifying himself as the source, Neuhaus allows the sound to be a "natural" part of the environment, forcing the listener to negotiate a reality that is felt but not seen.
Listening as a Continuum: Mirroring Blake Johnston’s focus on the audience's own perception, Voegelin posits that Neuhaus’s work creates a continuum between the environment and the subject. There is no "object" to look at; the work is the listener’s own realization of the acoustic architecture.
Like David Grubbs, Voegelin emphasizes the "now" of Neuhaus's work. It cannot be recorded because it is a lived-in geography. The "possible world" only opens up when the listener is physically present and attentive to the "invisible sculpture" occupying the space.