Museum History

A man from the late 19th century records onto a wax cyllander. He's seated on a poach outside what could be a residence.

While dissociated sounds have always existed, the study of them started as a scientific field only after humans built sound recording methods.

Until the advent of the era of recorded media, to make a sound, one had to have the object which would create it, and then activate it in some manner. For example, one could not hear the sound of a bell without having a physical bell and striking it.

This all changed when the first recording was made. Now sounds existed without their sources. They could be heard without the physical activation of their original objects.

The Museum of Dissociated Sounds was created to document the phenomenon of sounds existing independent of their source, or nullo fonte. Our teams specialize in the documentation, capture, and categorization of these sounds, in addition to researching the sometimes dangerous potential of sound reassociation.

Artist Statement

The Museum of Dissociated Sounds (or MoDS) is an interactive audio exploration of the speculative history of recorded sound. It meditates on the unease and optimism of human’s relationship to technology through a site-specific narrative accessible through visitors’ smartphones. MoDS distorts perceptions of sound-object relationships to create semi-fictional histories and aural teleologies. By carefully crafting audio narratives and paring each with a curated set of interactions, visitors leave with a better appreciation for the soundscapes we inhabit on a daily basis."

Curatorial Team

Tomás Frazer, Co-Chief Curator

Tomás creates sounds people enjoy. He writes music, mixes audio, conducts orchestras, and is a professional voice actor.

Ben Norskov, Co-Chief Curator

Ben is an interactive designer and artist. His practice spans screen-based media, sound, and physical installations. He studied at Parsons School of Design in NYC.