The third event of the DARK CIRCUITS FESTIVAL is: Michael Vorfeld’s Light Bulb Music at REVERSE
Admission: FREE
ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Michael Vorfeld is a composer and visual artist, who realizes installations and performances with light and sound. He will present Light Bulb Music, using sounds that are generated by different light bulbs and actuating devices. This is accompanied by a lecture giving insight into the history of the incandescent lamp, and a screening of his film “Leuchtstoff”, a film about light, shadow and motion.
Michael Vorfeld, musician and visual artist, based in Berlin, plays percussion and self designed stringed instruments and realizes electro-acoustic sound pieces. He works in the field of experimental, improvised music and sound art and is often involved in site-specific art projects. He realizes installations and performances with sound and light, works with photography and film. Besides his solo activities he is a member of various ensembles and collaborates with artists who work in many different art forms. His list of activities includes numerous concerts, performances and exhibitions in Europe, America, Asia and Australia.
1) LEUCHTSTOFF – film screening
LEUCHTSTOFF (Luminescent Substance – 16mm, 2003, Germany, b/w, 13 min) is a film about light, shadow and motion: a play of definite and dissolving shapes. Different sources of light as well as the subtle body language of the actress, combined with a sound world especially designed for this film, create a suggestive and poetic energy.
2) THE STORY OF THE INCANDESCENT LAMP – lecture/presentation
In his lecture Michael Vorfeld gives an extensive insight into the history of the incandescent lamp and its impact on various aspects of our modern lifestyle. The listener will come to know numerous interesting facts as well as many thrilling, baffling and bizarre stories about the light bulb.
3) LIGHT BULB MUSIC – performance
Light Bulb Music is an audio-visual performance using sounds that are generated by different light bulbs and actuating electric devices. The use of different controllers such as switches, dimmers, relays, flashers and various others leads to changes in the light and the current flow. This is made audible by a range of microphones and pick-ups. In addition, fine mechanical sounds occurring inside the light controllers are amplified and integrated into the music. The changes in the light intensity, the incandescence of the filaments and the rhythmic variety of the flickering and pulsing lights is directly transformed into a comprehensive and microcosmic electro-acoustic world of sound.
ABOUT THE VENUE:
REVERSE is a multidisciplinary workspace and art gallery with an emphasis on new and experimental forms of expression. Run by artists, REVERSE is a platform that supports emerging artists with the production and presentation of new work, as well as a space for dialogue and exchange of ideas through exhibitions, workshops, lectures, screenings, and different events.
In line with Dark Circuit Festival, the current exhibition at REVERSE, “Acoustic formulae” brings together a group of sound artists who work with formulas as outsets for improvisation. Throughout the exhibition, different artists will be invited to, via installation and performance, interact with or respond to Tricot’s (Thessia Machado and Merche Blasco) interactive sculpture re(p)l(a)y.
Acting as a dynamic score and as an instrument, re(p)l(a)y is a sculptural platform for the exchange of musical events in electroacoustic improvisation. It comprises strings, motors, idiosyncratic musical notations, and sound-making devices; these are the initial elements for the guest artists to explore novel formulas in the tangible sonic dialogue that Acoustic formulae aims to catalyze.
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
From June 14 through 23, 2014, Hans Tammen’s DARK CIRCUITS FESTIVAL features performers who work in contemporary electronic music practices such as circuit bending, no-input mixers, laptops, turntablism, analogue circuitry, network sniffers, live coding and soldering, plus other instruments we may have never heard of yet.
The festival highlight will be the performance of APHERESIS on June 22 at EYEBEAM: a large multi-movement piece by Hans Tammen for 14 laptop and electronics performers. APHERESIS was commissioned by Harvestworks with funds from The Multi-Arts Production Fund. The MAP Fund is a program of Creative Capital supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundatio n. This work is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and Wave Farm Fiscal Sponsorship. littleBits Electronics supports MakeMusicNY and the Dark Circuits Festival by providing their LittleBits x Korg Synth Kits. Eventide supports MakeMusicNY and the Dark Circuits Festival by providing their Eventide H9 Stompboxes.
Special thanks to Emilio Vavarella, Digital Media Strategist and Photographer of the festival: http://emiliovavarella.com/ - and to Wayne Ashley for his invaluable contributions to the concept: http://futureperfectproductions.org
JOIN THE EVENT ON FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/events/464042210405854/
