It was a different world when David Graves came up with the idea of creating a soundscape for each of Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities. He had just finished a series of difficult projects and decided to work on a collaborative project that had no deadlines or performances.
He realized that the best way to have most people hear the Invisible Cities soundscapes was via high-definition video on the web, so he also sought out visual artists. Little did he know that the three-year project would strangely coincide with COVID-19: the pandemic started shortly after work began and most of the coronavirus restrictions in the United States were lifting just as the project finished. Having a web-based art project proved to be a perfect antidote for a world gone mad.
Many thanks to Jay Kreimer for recommending Calvino’s novel to David, planting the seed.