Prosodic Notes is produced on the occasion of Prosodic Grains held at BY ART MATTERS (from November 2, 2024 to March 30, 2025). This catalogues is planned by BY ART MATTERS and te editions.
The exhibition Prosodic Grains at BY ART MATTERS 天目里美术馆 draws inspiration from Chinese literature’s pursuit of natural law and balanced beauty in phonology. It features works from over a dozen artists across different countries and regions, exploring the origins, elasticity, and limitations of human communication. For individuals, language and music carry fleeting emotions and thoughts; for human communities, they embody living histories and shared memories that reside in our collective consciousness.
The publication Prosodic Notes emerges from the exhibition but isn’t strictly bound by its concepts—it can be viewed as an alternative aspect of the exhibition. “Notes” carries dual meaning—both written observations and musical notation. The former emphasizes process, while the latter suggests that even the minutiae within the book are like musical notes on paper. The harmonies, collisions, and fusions they create are precisely what we hope to echo with the readers. These contents flow freely, transcending editorial boundaries, inviting readers to drift upon their currents and discover their own interpretations.
Artists/Authors: Allora Calzadilla, Oliver Beer, Natalie Bookchin, Chang Yuchen, Jonathas de Andrade, Ryan Gander, Guo Tiantian, Ann Veronica Janssens, Michel François, Christine Sun Kim, George Koutsouris, Angelica Mesiti, Shen Xin, Su Xiangpan, Layla Vardo, Xue Yayuan, Yang Chi-Chuan, Yao Qingmei
Editor: Michael GUO, SUN Man
Designer: maf-works.com
Coordination: te editions
Assistant Editor: OU Jierui
Translator: HUANG Yuting
Puiblished by te editions, 2025
26 x 18.5 cm, 287 p.
Paperback, Exposed Spine, Offset Printed
English & Chinese
