1997
Siren
The project will go through two major phases. The first a period of research, development and testing, utilizing the scientific communityand in situs work by myself to define the optimum sounds(certain ones which are move functional and livable and I hope ones which are in fact beautiful), the second the retrofitting of New York City’s police cars, ambulance and fire engines with these sounds, clearly demonstratingtheir practically.
A major hurdle in the project has been crossed; weh have received the enthusiastic support of the New York City Police Department, the New York Fire Department, and the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation. I have enclosed the latest correspondance with the Police Departement which I believe sums up the situation.
At first glance all this may seem a strange activity for a sound artist, but perhaps not, if one considers that a focus of mine for the last fifteen years has been making sound works wich firmly integrated into daily lifeand that I am totally fascinated by the idea of working with sound sources which can move at 60 miles for hour! (violin played are so sedentary
Max Neuhaus