The legacy of free radio on contemporary radio arts practice

Free Radio inspired the Mini FM movement in Japan led by Tetsuo Kogawa in the 1980's and the artist station Radia in 1992 from Banff Arts Center Canada. The influence of free radio continued across borders inspiring artists such as Wojciech Bruszewski and LIGNA.

This paper will consider the further impact of Free Radio in expanding contemporary arts practice in arts settings. I will draw from my practice based research and consider how my recent works fit into the expanded field of free radio, radio art and environmental sound art practice, focusing on transmitter based works for radio. This paper will consider the ecological and technological implications of making sound based radio works outside. Considering how the artist can produce multimedia radio and sound works that not only reflect the environment but actively work off grid. Nam June Paik predicted a radical and exciting future for artists and technology, “Someday artists will work with capacitors, resistors and semi-conductors as they work today with brushes, violins and junk.” (1965), something I have been embraced in my sound installations. 'Tree Radio' (2015) at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, transformed an oak tree into a micro radio station, to reveal the hidden facets of organic tree life using simple FM wireless technology. Engaging the public to think about trees as transmitters and radios early military history, as Art for the Environment which has been key to several of my recent installations works, taking forward my PhD research on the future of radio how to present radio art to a wider public. Working at the intersection between art and technology, it encourages one to think about early radio military history; that radio spectrum as the root of all wireless technology and how simple, cost effective and green radio can be.