We apply cross-genre methods to investigative projects, with a special focus on sound-art, experimental poetics and social sculpture. Each issue of the magazine clusters around a topic, gathering a variety of perspectives and articulations from the extravagant to the pedestrian. Five issues have been published, including “Utility”, “Topography” and “Autonomy”. Activites now shift towards special projects including CDs, books, curation, etc.

http://foarm.artdocuments.org/

To say it, the “A” is silent, standing as the potential rupture within every form. With every consideration of this project, we begin again… so, we will stay at “Alpha”. Our goal is to pursue a resonance – we listen to the audible between individual works, between the part and the whole, looking for places where common forms can be re-approached and molded to new use. It’s also a reminder to us of the hidden letters in all words.

FO(A)RM no. 5 (autonomy)
156 pp., 7 x 9”, perfect-bound, full-color cover, $15
(with exclusive CD)

We are very excited to present FO A RM no. 5, a special sound-art issue with an exclusive full-length CD complementing the writings. (Autonomy) is an examination of sound and freedom, a look at how artists and audiences take responsibility for their place in the world. Topic editor and composer Michael J. Schumacher asks – “How can we ‘save’ ourselves from the undermining forces of commercialization and homogenization by ‘using’ the system in place, but returning as little as possible to it?” From a variety of perspectives along the fringes, we probe this question and raise many others.

Including a special section on the great Filipino composer Jose Maceda, with rare writings and scores – an in-depth interview with Serbian radio artist Arsenije Jovanovic – writings by sound artists Giancarlo Toniutti, Francisco Lopez, Achim Wollscheid and John Duncan – notes on improvisation by Michael Bullock – a probe into musical autonomy in the armed forces – writings on a sound installation by physicist Luis Lopez with composer Barbara Held – a profile of Diapason sound gallery (NYC) – a poetic essay by musique concrete composer Lionel Marchetti – the early scores of Robert Ashley examined by avant-garde cellist Alex Waterman – experimental poetry by Paolo Javier, Steven Zultanski and Travis Nichols – art by Jan Anderzen (of Kemialliset Ystävät) and Sreshta Premnath – and much more!

Plus, in collaboration with Sedimental Records, an amazing 80-minute CD with music by Jonas Baes, Barbara Held, Arsenije Jovanovic, Jose Maceda and Michael J. Schumacher!

FO(A)RM no. 4 (topography)
144 pp., 7 x 9”, perfect-bound, full-color cover, $12
(with exclusive CD: Ghosts and Others by Phill Niblock)

FO(A)RM no. 4 (topography) treats the movement over, through or across a landscape and the act of documenting, utilizing or noticing an interaction with that landscape. It concerns a mapping of the points between self and space – traversing and/or transforming natural and urban environments. Within these pages, intelligent perspectives find fertile soil.
Included within are essays by sound theorist Douglas Kahn (Noise Water Meat) on spherics and and cultural theorist Steven Connor (Dumbstruck) on listening to sound-art, lengthy interviews with minimalist luminary Phill Niblock and Whitney Biennial artist Julianne Swartz, revealing articles on sound-installation projects by composers Marc Behrens and Eric La Casa, conceptual artist Sreshta Premnath’s carbon-paper traces of lived experience, public interaction and social sculpture by Swiss artist San Keller and Portland-based sculptor David Eckard, composer/improviser Jean-Luc Guionnet’s series of “Linescape” drawings, an historical essay on the holy Wu-T’ai mountains in 11th century China by Eliot Weinberger, Charles Stein’s striking visual language works, poems by William Fox, Haleh Hatami, André Spears, Jibade-Khalil Huffman, and Rachel Daley and a delicately vibrational cover by sound-artist Seth Cluett.
(Topography) also includes, in conjunction with Sedimental records, the never-released and radically different sound-work by Phill Niblock, Ghosts and Others. This CD is only to be found in FO(A)RM.