Artist Statement

This piece is composed of human voice (and digital technology) using the phrasing of read text and dividing it to find sub-structures. The visualisation of the text on the computer monitor screen has allowed the editing of each piece of text to be determined by the natural pulse allowing for the true character of the languages. These have then been looped to create the continous rhythms and field of each language. The recording of various section of pulse creates a rhythmic interaction, with some semblance of unison unique to each language. This piece starts with a combination of the four languages, followed by each particular language setting up its own rhythmic field to explore distinctions of tone, rhythm and vocal technique. The four languages are Japanese, Uruguay(Spanish), Finnish and Israeli (Hebrew). In affirmation of the different cultural origins of the prosody, common objects from each culture have been displayed preciously in museum conditions, signifying epistemological difference. The installation is composed of a space in which four sets of objects are displayed in conjunction with four speakers sounding the different tracks of the composition made from the pulses of the languages culturally relative to the objects.

Location: Rotterdam Ethnological Museum.

• Bruno Koenig