International Visitors Programme
From 6 to 9 April 2023, Rewire invited Ellen Fullman (US), Pak Yan Lau (BE), Hannes Liechti (CH), Hildegard Westerkamp (CA) and Mark Peter Wright (UK) to participate in the Inter/Relations contextual programme of the festival, as part of the Instrumental Ecologies track. The programme focused on the ever-changing role of technology in music and sound practices, and how artists explore and experiment with the ways in which technologies are part of natural ecologies. It also asked how older, analogue or low-tech tools and instruments are being rethought and used in new contexts.
Their visit, made possible by the Nieuwe Instituut's International Visitors Programme, included contributions to the festival’s context and music programme, as well as opportunities for exchange. In consultation with the guests, a tailor-made programme of networking moments and meetings with other artists and professionals present during the festival was drawn up. The visits and contributions were documented through audio recordings, radio broadcasts, photographs and reports. As one of the guests couldn’t travel to the Netherlands for health reasons, a remote visit/contribution was made. In collaboration with the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, MA students in ArtScience, Sonology and Composition were invited to attend the lectures and performances of the five international guests and to join in the discussions.
Mark Peter Wright Following his research and recent publication Listening After Nature, artist-researcher Mark Peter Wright was invited to write an essay and to present and discuss his research on field recordings from an eco-critical stance towards technology. As part of the Rewire Festival, he participated in Inter/Relations with Budhaditya Chattopadhyay, Heloisa Amaral and Carla J. Maiar, and introduced and led the Instrumental Ecologies Assembly with other participating artists: Matthew Biederman, Liew Niyomkarn and Pierce Warnecke. The Instrumental Ecologies Assembly was also part of the Royal Conservatory of The Hague’s student programme, in which MA students in ArtScience, Sonology and Composition had the opportunity to participate in a special programme of lectures, listening sessions, film screenings and performances throughout the festival. Read his essay Micologies here, or read more about Inter/relations and Instrumental Ecologies.
Pak Yan Lau Pak Yan Lau is a sound artist, improviser, musician and composer who develops new instruments with acoustic, electro-acoustic and electronic approaches and works skilfully with overtones. Her work is inspired by the work of Ellen Fullman, with whom she was invited as part of the Elements of Sounding session to discuss evolving relationships with self-built instruments, the role of architecture and acoustics in sounding practices, and the ways in which we relate to sound works differently in different times. It proved to be a fruitful discussion. In addition to her contribution to the context programme, Pak Yan Lau presented her latest work Bakunawa with her ensemble on 9 April. The Elements of Sounding session and the performance were also part of the student programme of the Royal Conservatory of The Hague.
Hildegard Westerkamp As Hildegard Westerkamp was unable to travel to the Netherlands for health reasons, she took part in the festival with an audio contribution: her soundscape The Soundscape Speaks, followed by the Inter/Relations assembly discussing her work.
Hannes Liechti Following his recent publication This Track Contains Politics, Hannes Liechti hosted a panel discussion on Sunday 9 April with Rewire artists Abadir and M I M I to discuss their strategies when it comes to using voice samples from external sources. What are the artists’ intentions and digital strategies behind the use of sampling in contemporary music practice? Hannes Liechti is one of the main editors of Norient, an international platform for experimental music, and he also hosted the session with artists Vivian Caccuri and meLê Yamomo in their podcast series Timezones. It was a lively discussion with lots of positive feedback from the audience.