Atmosphere of Sound Opening Reception: Bill Fontana's Sonic Exploration of Notre-Dame and the Dachstein Glacier at UCLA's Royce Hall

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The opening reception for *Silent Echoes: Notre-Dame and the Dachstein Glacier* took place on September 14, 2024, from 2–4 pm at UCLA's Royce Hall, Room 306. Curated by Victoria Vesna and Anuradha Vikram, this site-specific sound installation by Bill Fontana blended audio from Notre-Dame’s silenced bells and the melting Dachstein Glacier in Austria. The installation was part of *Atmosphere of Sound: Sonic Art in Times of Climate Disruption*, a project presented by the UCLA Art|Sci Center, and was featured as part of Getty's PST ART: Art & Science Collide initiative.

The event began with opening remarks by Lionel Popkin, Dean of the UCLA Department of Art, followed by an engaging discussion with the curators. Attendees also participated in a sound walk led by Bill Fontana, experiencing the immersive sound installation broadcast throughout Dickson Court. The installation remained active from Thursday to Saturday, 12–5 pm, and will run through October 5, 2024.
*Atmosphere of Sound: Sonic Art in Times of Climate Disruption* programs and exhibitions will continue through June 7, 2025.

>>About the artist: With a career spanning fifty years, Bill Fontana is internationally known for his pioneering experiments in sound. He has consistently used sound as a sculptural medium to interact with and transform our perceptions of visual and architectural spaces. Applying his knowledge of composition, he draws out patterns of sound from the natural and manmade worlds to create sound works with the potential to conjure up visual imagery in the mind of the listener.

>>About "Atmosphere of Sound: Sonic Art in Times of Climate Disruption:"
Atmosphere of Sound: Sonic Art in Times of Climate Disruption is a series of exhibitions and performances, an app, and a publication highlighting eight Art|Sci artists in residence: Sholeh Asgary, Patricia Cadavid, Bill Fontana,Yolande Harris, Anna Nacher, Joel Ong, Iman Person, and Robertina Šebjanič; along with five local artists: Katie Grinnan, Rachel Mayeri, Christina McPhee, Amber Stucke, and Nina Waisman.
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**Image Descriptions:**
1. The audience gathered in front of Royce Quad and engaged in the event.
2. From left: Christiane Paul, curator at the Whitney Museum; Bill Fontana, artist; Victoria Vesna, artist and director of the UCLA Art|Sci Center, co-curator of *Atmosphere of Sound*; Erkki Huhtamo, media archaeologist and theorist.
3. Bill Fontana delivering a talk to the audience.
4. Attendees seated, listening to the presentations.
5. Victoria Vesna and Anuradha Vikram, co-curators of the *Atmosphere of Sound* initiative, engaged in conversation.
6. Heather MacDonald, Senior Program Officer at the Getty Foundation, reading the *Atmosphere of Sound* book.
7. Audience members exploring the event's publications, including Bess Rochlitzer, President of the David Bermant Foundation.
8-9. Lionel Popkin, Dean of the UCLA Department of Art, delivers remarks to the audience.
10. The audience is experiencing the sound installation near the speakers in Room 306 of Royce Hall.

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