1981
The Soundings Exhibition (1981–1983)
Curated by Suzanne Delehanty at the Neuberger Museum (1981–1983), the "Soundings" exhibition marked a pivotal shift in 20th-century art by framing sound as a plastic, spatial medium rather than a sub-category of music. The exhibition, featuring Max Neuhaus, John Cage, and others, highlighted the transition from performance-based music to site-specific environmental installations, where audience movement serves as the key component. More information is available in the 1982 catalogue essay by Suzanne Delehanty and the 1981 New York Times review.
The video was a follow-up to the 1981 exhibition curated by Suzanne Delehanty, which was one of the first major surveys to explore the relationship between visual arts and sound in the 20th century.
The exhibition and subsequent video included other avant-garde luminaries such as John Cage, Laurie Anderson, and Iannis Xenakis.
Neuhaus was a key contributor, representing the shift from performance-based music to permanent, environmental sound installations.
The exhibition, held at the Neuberger Museum from September 20 to December 23, 1981, was the first major survey in the United States to examine the use of sound by visual artists. The New York Times
Neuhaus was represented by his drawings and documentation related to his sound installations. His work was used to illustrate the transition from "music" (as performance) to "sound art" (as a spatial, permanent situation).
Press / 1982 - Delehanty, Suzanne. “Soundings.” In Soundings. Purchase, NY: Neuberger Museum.