A town transformed by sound
Tourists led through Roosevelt by their ears on May 30 BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP Staff Writer
Two speakers swung between sunlit trees, emanating sounds that are Doppler-shifted, making them seem wobbly to the ear.

ERIC SUCAR staff Jennifer Mesch and sound artist Scott Smallwood, of North Brunswick, listen to a sound installation during "Welcome Sound: Audio Art in Roosevelt Homes" on May 30.

While Douglas Irving Repetto, a New York-based artist and the director of research at the Columbia University Computer Music Center, conducted his sound study for time travel in Nancy Warnick's backyard, she welcomed both neighbors and strangers into her Homestead Lane home and explained its history as the former Roosevelt borough hall and post office.

"We had about 70 visitors — a lot of outof towners," Warnick said. "It was very pleasant interacting with all of the people and seeing lots of old friends."

As denoted by the giant ear on its front lawn, the Warnick residence was one of the stops during "Welcome Sound: Audio Art in Roosevelt Homes" on May 30. Visitors got to explore cutting-edge audio artworks that 17 artists from Roosevelt, Princeton and New York City created to transform existing spaces throughout town. The tour featured installations in 13 homes and six public spaces.

Left: Roosevelt Public School students created this installation about their concept of home for the public space on Tamara Drive. Right: Tourists enter one of the yards marked with an ear during "Welcome Sound: Audio Art in Roosevelt Homes" on May 30.

Councilwoman Peggy Malkin said, "I love when people are exposed to Roosevelt and see what we have to offer."

Her favorite part of the day's events was seeing science teacher Ilene Levine's photographs displayed at Roosevelt Public School. Levine has taken photos of Roosevelt residents over the past 30 years.

"Ilene's photography evoked so much emotion out of people," Malkin said. "The Roosevelt from the past came alive again."

Roosevelt resident Jon Shahn said he appreciated hearing voices from the past in the installation that resident Victoria Estok put together with New York City artist Daniel Iglesia in the home of Sheila Linz and Steve Bowen. The work featured oral history and overheard conversation recordings and 3-D visuals.

Estok, who is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in integrated media arts at Hunter College in New York City, coordinated the day of events as the newest board member of the Roosevelt Arts Project (RAP). RAP is a nonprofit arts organization that fosters art in the community, and sponsored the event.

"This was very creative, great idea," residentMary Tulloss said of the event. "There was such a variety of things to do. I hope they do it again next year."

She and her husband Rod hosted artist Blake McDowell, of New York City, who brought a gender, an Indonesian instrument, into their home on Lake Drive. McDowell played the instrument by hitting bronze keys above metal tubes with small mallets to make a shimmering sound. He also explained gamelan music while playing field recordings he made in Indonesia of such music and prayer calls.

The Tullosses said they enjoyed having such peaceful music in their home while they welcomed guests to look at their collection of works by Roosevelt artists such as Stefan Martin, Bernarda Shahn, Sol Libsohn and Jacob Landau.

Other sounds that tourists heard as they were led around town by their ears included resident Brad Garton's laptop folk group, applause in the Moser household, and a theremin at the McNally residence.

For more information about RAP and its upcoming events, visit www.music.colum bia.edu/roosevelt.