Alex Farrar was born in Leeds in 1986. He is currently on the BA Fine Art course at Leeds Metropolitan University.
His recent exhibitions and projects include: Zoo Forty Two, 42 New Briggate, Leeds; A Latento, Book Art Bookshop, London / Bookie Woekie, Amsterdam / Printed Matter, New York.
Farrar has produced a site specific soundtrack which will be played throughout the studios and public spaces of the building. He has compiled a tape of Muzak in an attempt to increase student productivity. The soundtrack complies with the research of Muzak founder Dan O'Neil. Each of the Muzak segments are ordered from least to most stimulating. The stimulus value of each segment is determined by factors such as tempo, rhythm, instrumentation and orchestra size. The final brightest tune is always followed by fifteen minutes of silence. Farrar suggests that Muzak or 'functional music'; conventionally used in factories, offices, hospitals, banks etc. is designed to suppress anxiety and stress, producing increased work rates and productivity. In an art college environment the effects will be measurable through the atmospheric changes, concurrent experiential reaction from the students and through how much work they produce.
