The Swiss cultural initiative Sound Development City undertakes a three-week expedition to Riga and Helsinki with a group of international artists. The “studio on the road” offers a unique, interdisciplinary experimentation and research trip. Sound Development City is organised in close collaboration with the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Arts in Riga and the Goethe-Institut Finland in Helsinki.
Artists were invited to apply for Sound Development City 2014 through an open call. On the road with Sound Development City, they will work on individual projects. Temporary interventions in public spaces are an integral part of the expedition, as well as workshops and performances, to which local artists and art enthusiasts are invited to join.
The expedition’s artists provide insights into their creative positions and work processes on an online logbook and a web radio station.
Expedition Artists:
John Grzinich (US/EE), Vivian Caccuri (BR), Małgorzata Goliszewska (PL), Andreas Oskar Hirsch (DE), Richard Eigner (AT), Rachel S. James (CA/US), YangFan Li (CN), Moritz Wettstein (CH), Maša Drndić (HR), AEAEAEAE (NO/DE) & Tiago Romagnani Silveira (BR/DE), Ruth Danon (IL).
Sound Development City is a project by Sound Development [1], a platform for promotion of, networking of and exchange between artistic and cultural creators. Sound Development City is being developed and organized in collaboration with Heller Enterprises.
The Sound Development City participants Vivian Caccuri (BR) and John Grzinich (US/EE) will be working on projects that involve the public:
Open call for participation in the projects:
„Listening in Context“ by John Grzinich
August 29 – September 1st, eight locations around Riga.
We often think about how our cities look, but how do they sound? Are there special places with special sounds? These are the kinds of questions John Grzinich explores with his project „Listening in Context“. He will ask people for about 20 minutes of their time, to simply sit and listen to their city through a set of microphones.
As you sit comfortably with your eyes closed, John will record the sounds and film you in the state of listening. After several minutes of focused listening, you may open your eyes and John will ask you some questions about your impressions.
If you wish to participate please send an email to info@maaheli.ee with your name and telephone number with the subject line: “I want to listen to Riga”.
„Silent Walk“ by Vivian Caccuri
Sept. 1, 2014, start: 10:00.
West bank of Daugava River, Riga
The ‘silent walk’ is an eight-hour urban itinerary guided by Brazilian artist Vivian Caccuri where during the whole time talking is interdicted. The twenty participants remain silent while they visit places of intense acoustic activity, urban noises and other stimuli for listening, contemplating and communicating through gesture and movement. The path also includes stops in specific locations where participants can recharge, write down insights and even sleep. The silent walk will depart from the west bank of Daugava River and conclude itself in a talking-permitted dinner, especially prepared for the experience at the Press House.
To sign up, please send a message to http://www.facebook.com/caminosilencio [2] or caminosilencio1@gmail.com .
PUBLIC EVENTS IN RIGA
Friday, August 29, 20:00
„Black Holes” – Sound Development City in collaboration with Totaldobze
Totaldobze Art centre, Press House
In „Black Holes” event at the “Totaldobze Art centre” Sound Development City participants will perform on one stage with local artists. As usual, the “Black Holes” event will be an experiment full of surprises.
Saturday, August 30, 18:00 – 04:00
„Sonic Adventures“
Kaņepes Kultūras centrs, Skolas street 15, Riga
The „Sonic Adventures” night takes listeners on a journey through the wide-open sound worlds and presents artistic positions and strategies beyond the known. The featured artists create undiscovered sounds using the self-made or traditional instruments, innovative technology as well as long forgotten tools to explore the connections between music and art. The night starts out with fragile, fine-tuned performances, and grows louder and denser as the light fades away.
Live: Bernu Rīts (LV), John Grzinich (US/EE), Lee Chapman (UK/LV), Andreas Oskar Hirsch (DE), Sound Meccano (LV), Richard Eigner (AT), Moritz Wettstein / MRZ (CH)
DJs: Selffish (LV), Bombey (LV), Luki + Nik! + Andaloop (CH)
Monday, September 1, 20:00
„Listening in Context” – Final presentation by John Grzinich
Totaldobze Art centre, Press House
“Listening in Context”, explores the intimate role sound plays in our perception and the connections we make to our surroundings through what we hear. The project frames this “audible relationship” through audio-visual portraits of citizens in the city in which they live.
John Grizinich (US/EE) presents his research results and first audiovisual portraits to an interested audience on September 1st at Press House, Riga.