Research & Publications
My research asks how everyday media of music culture can become apparatus and method of artistic research, and what their materiality means. It moves from the record player as a research apparatus to the material of the record itself: vinyl, its petrochemical origins and its alternatives. I work at the intersection of artistic practice, sound studies and research methodology.
Research field 1: Apparatus & Method
mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna
completed October 2024
The record player is examined as a research apparatus in the sense of Hans-Jörg Rheinberger: a dynamic configuration of material entities, tools, techniques and theoretical frameworks. The project investigates individual playing techniques, genre applications, collaborations with DJs and turntablists, the turntable as a graphic-sonic composition machine, and the material of vinyl and its alternatives. Results fed into installations and performances; the reflexive documentation was published as an audio paper in the form of a record box.
Supervision: Alexander Damianisch, Thomas Grill,
Annegret Huber, Hans Schabus.
Commission: Andrea Glauser, Katharina Klement,
Brandon LaBelle.
LINKS
→ Summary exposition (Research Catalogue)
→ Bonus materials (audio-visual)
→ Thesis in library catalogue
Research field 2: Materiality of Sound & Sustainability
Audio paper w/ Paula Bracker and Samo Zeichen, 2025
Starting from my doctoral research on the turntable, this audio paper explores the fossil fuel-based history of music media. It follows vinyl records through their production processes, material consumption and the revival of vinyl culture, and discusses political and ethical aspects of sound reproduction through artistic-research projects and expert perspectives. It presents sustainable alternatives and relates raw-material extraction, mass production and materiality to one another, asking us to engage more closely with the physical side of sound and its global consequences.
LINKS
→ Audio paper, Research Catalogue → Journal of Sonic Studies 28, DOI 10.22501/jss.3774389
Research roles & networks
- Founding member, Special Interest Group „Sound Research“, Society for Artistic Research (SAR), 2025
- Reviewer, openwork Journal, Columbia University, since 2026
- Artistic Academic Board, „Groove the City – Move the Streets“ Conference, IKM, mdw, 2026
- Senior Scientist and project lead, ÆSR – Applied/Experimental Sound Research Lab, University of Applied Arts Vienna, in cooperation with mdw and the Phonogrammarchiv of the ÖAW
- Teaching: Sound Art Research Practice, Sound Art Research lecture series, University of Applied Arts Vienna
SCRATCHING: To Start from Scratch as an Artistic Research Method. In: Stuckey, L., Damianisch, A. (eds.): Uncertain Curiosity in Artistic Research, Philosophy, Media and Cultural Studies. Springer, Arts, Research, Innovation and Society (ARIS), 2025, pp. 139–146. Open access (CC BY 4.0). DOI 10.1007/978-3-031-91995-4_13
Petromusicality. On the Sonic Culture of (Plastic) Material and Beyond. Bracker, P., Salzmann, K., Zeichen, S. Journal of Sonic Studies 28, 2025. Audio paper (research exposition). DOI 10.22501/jss.3774389
A Quote to Be Proofed. Moholy-Nagy's „Neue Gestaltung in der Musik“. In: MEND/BLEND/ATTEND – SAR 2022 Proceedings, pp. 338–341. Research Catalogue exposition 2429200.
Early Stage Researchers: Künstlerische Forschung mit dem Plattenspieler. mdw-Magazin, 2025, pp. 29–31.
To Start from Scratch. Artistic doctoral thesis, mdw, 2024
Soundinstallation 39Hz.
In 3 Künstler*in: VWG Vorarlberger Wiederverwertungsgesellschaft.
VWG Koblach / ISBN 97832000079762
Karl Salzmann. Wave Studies. In Kunsthalle LAB 2014 – 2017.
Kunsthalle Bratislava / ISBN 978-80-972754-2-6
Karl Salzmann. Rotation/Notation. In Projektraum 2013-14.
Kunsthaus Graz Universalmuseum Johanneum. (2018)
ISBN 978-3-90209-561-9