Artist Statement
Imagined space and real space create a special place.The project series Catalysis explores relationships between sound, space and imagination. Sound and space are considered as catalysts in a process of creative imagination in the mind of the listeners.Two versions, Catalysis for Dance, and quadraphonic version Catalysis for concert, have been created so far.ln contrast with those versions, this multi-speaker sound installation takes place in a public space without the restriction of a time frame.The installation can be perceived as a sound garden where visitors can either observe or walk about and play with the sound objects whose sound is processed and returned to the loudspeakers. Although there is no beginning or ending for this installation, the sound element has a number of short- and a few long-term evolving structures which create different phases of the sonic environment, like day and night, or seasons. All the sound on the tape has more or less repetitive character with periods of 0.3 -15 seconds. The origin of most of the sounds is unrecognizable in real-world terms yet their spectromorphology has some associative character in terms of the material of a sounding body, or a gesture related to our experience. For those who are interested, I can reveal that the origins are crushed egg shells, metallic tins, various musical instruments, and a Japanese charm bell. I would like to thank Professor Hirokazu Negishi who is the inventor of the revolutionary polar directive Canon loudspeakers and Mr. Andrew Szeliga the ex-president of the Canon Audio for their support for this project. Audio: MP3 Sample [Source vega.art.coocan.jp/ISEA-Japan]
- Akemi Ishijima (Japan/UK) was born in Tokyo. Her interest in science and music led her to study Applied Chemistry at Waseda University where, at the same time, she became an active member of the Waseda Modern Jazz Group and explored various types of improvisation. After graduation she decided to concentrate on composition and moved to Sweden. She studied electro-acustic music at EMS and The Royal College of Music in Stockholm. In 1993 she completed the degree of Master of Music at the University of East Anglia in England supported by an overseas scholarship from the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. Her electro-aocustic music has been performed and broadcast throughout the world, and has won several prizes and awards in competitions such as Bourges, Luigi Russolo,and Ars Electronica. Recent concert performances include ICMC Tokyo (93), ISEA94 Helsinki, ICMC Hong Kong (96), Stockholm New Music (97), as well as concerts in the UK. She has also composed music for a number of contemporary dance productions which have been recognised and performed internationally. She is currently completing her degree of Ph.D at the Centre for Electro-acoustic Music Studies in City University in London.