A Counting : system architecture and implementation of a voice portrait of the United States

Abstract

In this thesis, I present the technical architecture of A Counting, a voice portrait of the United States through a nationwide repeating "count" from one to one hundred as a response to historical miscounting by the US Census. Using a novel audio processing pipeline, voice recordings from participants' counts are split into individual audio samples. These samples are then recombined into the continuous count that is displayed through a video on a web page. Every iteration of this count is unique, as each number is selected at random from all recordings submitted so far. I also present an architecture for participants to verify and transcribe their own and others' recordings, giving them control over the representation of their language, and enabling the artwork to be self-sustaining through voluntary participation. The artwork has been featured in museums and galleries, garnered a community of hundreds of participants, and continues to expand across the United States.