Punk Life? is an audio installation that examines punk subculture through the eyes of the current punk community. In large part, Punk Life? is an audio documentary consisting of interviews of musicians, fans, members of non-profit organizations, and retailers. While, most of the audio portion of this piece is a collection of interviews, the piece also includes punk music. In conjunction with this, Punk Life? has a visual component. While the audio portion of the piece runs, still photographs are projected onto three different walls of the room. These photographs are a collection of images that I have taken depicting punk life. Punk Life? also includes advertisements, record covers, and images of famous musicians that I have collected.
In order for Punk Life? to run properly, it has to be shown in a room with surround sound. As the audio portion of the piece runs, different sounds and interviews come out of different speakers depending on the location of the speaker. For example, in an ideal situation the sounds of a crowd or cheering come out of the speakers located in the back of the room to create the effect of being in a concert. As the visuals are then projected onto the three walls, interviews come out of the appropriate speakers. For example, as a fan discusses her disdain for mainstream music, her picture is projected onto left wall while her interview comes out of the left speaker as well.
Punk Life? is a time based piece approximately thirty minutes in length.