Klangkunst

Klangkunst, literally "sound art" in German, is an artistic practice in which sound is the central material, considered in its production, organization, and perception. Works labeled Klangkunst typically take the form of installations, site-specific pieces, or performances in which listening in space and over time is foregrounded, rather than music performed on a stage for a concert audience.

It is related to, yet distinct from, traditional music. Klangkunst overlaps with sound art, electroacoustic music, and multimedia installation, but it emphasizes spatial relationships, acoustical environments, and the experiential character of listening. Works often incorporate field recordings, live electronics, spatialization technologies, and interactive elements that engage viewers as active participants.

Practices vary from immersive sound environments and sculpture-like objects to urban sound walks and environmental installations. The works may explore perception, memory, language, or ecological and architectural contexts. Conceptual concerns include the phenomenology of listening, the role of silence, and the politics of sonic space.

Historically, Klangkunst draws on postwar experiments in musique concrète and electronic music, as well as broader developments in sound art and installation. In German-speaking countries, the term and its critical vocabulary gained prominence in the late 20th century, with institutions, galleries, and festivals presenting sound-based works as a distinct strand of media art. Today, Klangkunst is studied in art schools and universities as part of contemporary art and music discourse.

Notable practitioners associated with Klangkunst and related sound-art practices include Bill Fontana, Janet Cardiff, and Alvin Lucier, whose works emphasize spatialization, site, and listening. The field remains interdisciplinary, crossing boundaries with architecture, sculpture, theater, and digital media.