The murder of crows

In The Murder of Crows (2008), 98 audio speakers are mounted around the space on stands, chairs and walls, creating na orchestra-like setup in which the visitor is invited to sit in the center on designated chairs. Generated by special polyphonic recording and replay techniques, the audio work emanates from the speakers. It comprises marches, lullabies, spoken text and musical compositions as well as incidental effects; one sound moves into another, evoking a dreamlike narrative with a startling, disconcerting immediacy. The installation is conceived like a film or a play, but one whose images and narrative structures are created by sound alone. It was inspired by Goya’s etching The sleep of reason produces monsters (1799), and its title refers to the natural behavior of crows, which live, hunt, mourn and caw in flocks. Cardiff’s voice occasionally emerges from the centrally placed megaphone, describing apocalyptic dream sequences. The Murder of Crows (2008) is the artists’ largest sound installation to date. Cardiff and Bures Miller are at the forefront of a generation of artists who employ advanced technology. Working in a variety of media, including video, installation and recorded sound, they have repeatedly examined audiovisual perception and the experience of the viewer, by exploring the creation of sculptural and physical sounds.