Abstract:
During the postmodern period in the 20th century society began to shift toward a more spatial orientated perspective. This in turn produced a wealth of spatial ideas that inevitably influenced the development of electroacoustic music. Foucault’s concept of ‘Heterotopias’ in particular has been cross examined with the Local/Field Model and the Indicative Network in order to explore the limits of spatial thinking within electroacoustic music. What resulted is the Electroacoustic Heterotopia, a model that amalgamates the various spatial paradigms used to convey meaning in our society and communicate artistic ideas. What this model suggests is that space is not simply a separate and contained field of electroacoustic music, but rather the foundation upon which electroacoustic music is built. By understanding the various physical, mental and social limits of space, we can begin to appreciate how the language of space can be used to create meaning and insight within our works.