The Animated “Ursonate”

By Harriet Staff

On Harriet back in 2007, Kenneth Goldsmith called Kurt Schwitters’ “Ursonate” “the greatest sound poem of the 20th century” and posted nine audio versions by sound artists. Turns out “Ursonate” has been inspiring animators and new media artists as well. Here are eight text-based visual interpretations ranging from Golan Levin and Jaap Blonk’s live typographical performance at Ars Electronica to stop-motion animation.

Ursonate / Ursonography Excerpts (2005), Golan Levin and Jaap Blonk

Ursonate Kurt Schwitters Original, danpunk99

stop motion of die sonate in urlauten (kurt schwitters), paquotte

Ursonate, alexandrecontat

Ursonate di Kurt Schwitters, elimont84

ursonate, introvertevent

Primiti Too Taa, hellishbeauty

Die Ursonate in Wellen (ein Ausschnitt), sushimixer