8ight, #6 of 8 exhibition series
26.-28.09.2024
NOTES ON NARROW BACKROARDS, immersive sound installation with 6 acoustic sources
by the Acoustic Heritage Collective (ES/DE)
8ight // for 8 audiovisual exhibitions
frei-raum.berlin is showing the exhibition series 8ight, which will feature sound art and audiovisual art installations, performances and artistic research. This series runs from April to November 2024, with eight sequential presentations, each characterised by the number of acoustic sources/speakers: from one in the first exhibition to eight in the last. The symbolic meaning of the number 8 for time, connection and renewal is reflected in this gradual increase. At the end of the 8 exhibitions, a printed art object, in a limited edition of 8, will be published on our label F with a summary of all the works.
#6 acoustic sources of 8ight –
IMMERSIVE SOUND INSTALLATION // NOTES ON NARROW BACKROARDS by the Acoustic Heritage Collective (ES/DE)
on view 26.09. Thursday, 17:30-20h
27.09. Friday, 16:30-20h
28.09. Saturday,15-19h
28.09.2024, Saturday, start 20h - space is limited, donation 10-20 EUR
LIVE PERFORMANCE
Acoustic Heritage Collective // Ginebra Raventós (ES), Emilio MARX (ES), Joan Lavandeira (CL), Edgardo Gómez (CL)
NOTES ON NARROW BACKROARDS,
immersive sound installation with 6 acoustic sources, by the Acoustic Heritage Collective (ES/DE) The research project by The Acoustic Heritage Collective (Raventós, Marx, Lavandeira and Gómez) is supported by the International Co-Production Fund of the Goethe-Institut as part of its commitment to fostering international collaborations.
The project "Notes on Narrow Backroads", a research-based sound artwork supported by the International Co-Production Fund of the Goethe-Institut, is part of the 8ight exhibition and performance series at frei-raum.berlin. For the sixth installment in the series, the immersive sound installation comes to life through six acoustic sources.
The choice of six sound sources is closely tied to the conceptual foundation of the project and seamlessly aligns with the thematic structure of 8ight, where the number of speakers symbolically increases with each exhibition. These six speakers not only represent a point along the series' progression but also resonate with the core themes of "Notes on Narrow Backroads", particularly those of journey, memory, and temporal transformation.
Inspired by Matsuo Basho’s literary masterpiece "Oku no Hosomichi" (The Narrow Road to the Deep North), which recounts his spiritual and poetic journey through the remote regions of Japan, the installation evokes the feeling of a collective acoustic diary. Six sound sources, dispersed throughout the space, create a polyphonic landscape, guiding the listener on their own journey through soundscapes that evoke timeless memories, nostalgia, and islands as metaphors for isolation and discovery.
In this context, the symbolic meaning of the number six serves as a bridge between the collective creative process and the spiritual and physical journey of the individual. Just as Basho captured the diversity of nature and human experience through poetry and reflection, the installation, through its six speakers, generates a site-specific sound narrative that allows visitors to experience both space and time in a new way.
The acoustic sources act as nodes within the space, interweaving the project's various elements: the historical and contemporary aspects of the journey, the interplay between sound and place, and collective memory. This immersive sound experience invites the audience to meditate on the past, present, and the space in between.
Notes on Narrow Backroads not only expands the thematic and acoustic scope of 8ight but also embodies the continuous renewal and connection symbolized by the number 8.
about the artist
Acoustic Heritage Collective (ES/DE) www.acousticheritagecollective.org
Raventos, Lavandeira, Marx and Gómez are a group of 4 artists who have been working together for a long time (Patrimoni Acustic, Acoustic Heritage Collective, Sound Heritage Collective, Hoarfrost). As partners, they have developed projects such as a quartet, trio, or duo that include art residencies, art installations, music production, sound poetry, heritage conservation, and 3D/VR design. Their works have been exhibited at major sound art spatial music spaces including IRCAM (France), MONOM studios (Germany), Experimental Sound Studios Chicago (USA) Wave Farm, NY (USA) and the Phonos Foundation (Spain). Additionally, the results of his research have been shared at prestigious academic institutions such as Sorbonne University, the University of Iceland, King›s College London, the University of Kent or Europeana
Ginebra Raventós (ES) linktr.ee/Ginebraraventos
Ginebra Raventós, is a Catalan poet and sound artist. Her exploration extends beyond conventional boundaries, embracing sound, space, and moving images as vehicles for artistic expression. The focal point of her research is the expansion of poetry’s sphere of influence beyond textual confines. Ginebra unfolds her poetic universe within her creations, seamlessly weaving voice, action, sound, image, space, and text into an indispensable tapestry. Her work transcends the conventional boundaries of poetic expression, inviting audiences to engage with a multidimensional experience.
Emilio MARX (ES) hoarfrost2022.bandcamp.com/
iMARX, PiMc
Acoustic Engineer, Sound Technician and Sound Artist based in Barcelona, Spain. He focuses his artistic production on studying acoustic and sound space, especially from its ability to generate affection through perceptive memory. Trained in acoustic engineering, he frequently uses his theoretical background to implement technology to expose this ability, looking for an aesthetic and sound discourse that enhances these spatial translations. At the same time, he has addressed the topic of acoustic heritage with particular interest.
Joan Lavandeira (CL) joanlavandeirathoms.wordpress.com/ Engineer and visual sound artist who works in the intervention of architecture with sound and visual elements through new technologies, developing both individual projects (live A/V performance with the alias of Manuel Thoms, randomVOLT, FTDI, uqbar/tlön, Kipple) It has also developed the technical area in production, design and technique that allows him to face, design and plan complex cultural projects in the context of these times. Working mainly with MAXMSP and Touchdesigner, Unreal Engine. Currently developing projects in digital environments simulating spaces and acoustics using Unreal Engine for video games, VR, AR and visual AV. He has worked with internationally renowned artists in dance and theater with Jefta Van Dinther (DE), Lisbeth Gruwez (BE), Trajal Harrell (US), Fabrice Murgia (BE). In contemporary music, technical support in lighting and visual tasks and software development with Julien Bayle -Void Records (FR), Marcel Weber-MFO (DE) and Stanislav Glazov-Lichtpfad studio (RU-DE). And international festivals such as SONAR (ES), MUTEK (ES), MIRA (ES), Berlin Atonal (DE).
Edgardo Gómez (CL) www.haptossoundlab.com/ Edgardo is a sound engineer and sound artist. His current work moves on the fine line between scientific research and art. Edgardo searches in sound practices for new forms of narratives, confronting questions such as the importance of acoustic space in the process of signification, and experimenting in the fields of sound spatialisation, field recordings, anthropology of sound and acoustic heritage. In recent years he has presented works at important sound art festivals, such as the ‘Club Transmediale’, the ‘Eufonia Festival’ and the ‘48 Stunden Neukölln’, all in Berlin, Germany. Edgardo has been invited to residencies at the art spaces MONOM and A+E Labs and has participated in important academic conferences organised by the University of Greenwich and London College. As a student, he participated in projects with renowned artists such as Sam Auinger, Hans Peter Kuhn, Martin Supper and Robert Henke.
