Peter Blegvad's 'Static in the Attic' Radio Works Celebrated in New York Listening Event

On May 6, a listening event at an empty recording studio on Mercer Street in New York presented 'Static in the Attic,' a radio broadcast by artist, cartoonist, illustrator, musician, composer, monologist, parachutist, parapsychologist, and variantologist Peter Blegvad. Organized by New York University professor Sukhdev Sandhu, the event immersed the audience in total darkness to experience Blegvad's audio duets, titled Hörspiels & Eartoons. Blegvad, who resides in West London, did not attend in person but provided commentary. He explained that radio is a more intimate medium than film, conducive to a 'waking dream' state, and that his series 'Static in the Attic' was created for BBC Radio 3 between 2002 and 2010, mostly recorded in his attic at night to minimize street noise. The show uses static—white noise—instead of a theme tune. Blegvad, who retired from most activities except painting, confirmed no new episodes have been made for many years. The Daily Heller has released additional recordings from the series via WeTransfer, expanding the playlist. The event highlights Blegvad's multidisciplinary practice and the enduring appeal of his radio art.