klankkunsten

Klankkunsten, often translated as sound art, is an art discipline in which sound is the primary medium. It encompasses installations, performances, and works that combine music, field recordings, electronics, and spatial design to create a hearing experience rather than a traditional composition.

Its development emerged in the mid-20th century with the rise of musique concrète and electronic music, and expanded through the 1960s and beyond into gallery and public-art contexts. Artists explore how sound occupies space, how listeners perceive acoustics, and how installations involve duration and interaction.

Techniques include tape and digital manipulation, live electronics, spatialisation using multiple loudspeakers, binaural and 3D audio, field-recording composition, and interactive sensor-based works that respond to visitors.

Klankkunsten crosses boundaries between music, sculpture, installation art, and performance. It is commonly presented in museums, galleries, concert venues, and outdoor settings, often inviting active listening, movement, or participation from audiences.

Notable figures associated with klankkunsten include Pierre Schaeffer, Max Neuhaus, Maryanne Amacher, Janet Cardiff, Bill Fontana, Christina Kubisch, and Alvin Lucier; these artists contributed through sound installations, architectural acoustics, and electroacoustic environments.

Related terms include sound art and electroacoustic music.