‘there is always negotiation in murmuration’, installation view, performance at Galerie Dechanatstr., Bremen, April 2024

𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘺, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘵 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯

‘𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯’ (2024) offers an invitation to engage in physical examination, aimed at evaluating the ways somatic experimentation and speculative enactment can inform how we position ourselves beyond the physical. This exploration was facilitated through a multichannel sound installation and guided choreography to be listened and experienced collectively. The guiding voices lead the audience by employing verbal and non-verbal prompts to enter into reflective states, interrogating our collective motion, and the dynamics of multi-agent systems, and reevaluating the rules of responses to which each of us engage to the cues. The performance unfolds with imperative language gradually transforming into vibration, introducing another layer of imperatives through the material dimension of low-frequency sound.

‘there is always negotiation in murmuration’, trailer, performance at Galerie Dechanatstr., Bremen, April 2024. Video: Catarina García, Alina Bardavid, Guida Ribeiro

‘there is always negotiation in murmuration’, performance at Galerie Dechanatstr., Bremen, April 2024. Photos: Andrea en la luna

The sound for ‘there is always negotiation in murmuration’ was designed for a multichannel speaker setup consisting of 12 speakers and 2 subwoofers. The configuration featured 8 speakers surrounding the entire space and 4 speakers positioned in the center. The subwoofers were placed in two opposing areas of the space, creating distinct vibrational zones by pulsating at different tempos and frequencies.

The piece was spatialized with the used of the open source software SpatGRIS.

‘there is always negotiation in murmuration’, performance at Galerie Dechanatstr., Bremen, April 2024. Photos: Andrea en la luna

In the form of a guided meditation or sonic score, participants are invited to adjust their ways of navigating the landscape created by the stage platforms. Similar to a dance improvisation workshop, the guiding voice draws parallels to somatic exercises that explore the concept of swarm intelligence. The prompts aim to question and shift perspectives and gravities, affecting how the audience members relate to one another. The performance unfolds with the use of imperative language that gradually transforms into a soundscape of low-frequency sounds, introducing another layer of imperatives through the affective qualities of the vibrational force on the body.

The scenic setup was designed in-situ considering the acoustics of the space and the disposition of the speakers. It included 15 stage elements of varying heights distributed around the space providing different areas for the audience to inhabit the space while sit, walk slowly, or lie down together.

references

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• Eidsheim, N. S. (2015). Sensing Sound: Singing and Listening as Vibrational Practice. Duke University Press.
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