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24/2/2005

Guy De Bievre

CCNOA Center for Contemporary Non-Objective Art, Bruxelles

'Manhattan [linear, circular, lateral]'
special presentation.

Guy de Bievre’s new CD ‘Manhattan (linear, circular, lateral)’ is one of the results of a two-year research on pitch phenomena in the urban soundscape. conducted between January 2003 and December 2004 at the Jan Van Eyck Academy. It combines both an interpretation attempt of city hums as a language and experiments in the relevance of sonic scale models.

"Between March 24 and April 2 2003, I set out for a series of sonic field investigations in Manhattan, hunting for spectral flat lines. Manhattan - from the South Ferry Terminal up to 125th street, covering approximately 4 by 12 km - has all the qualities of a perfect laboratory for urban research, with an extremely convenient grid structure, neatly delimited by two rivers. This allowed me to indulge in a sonogeographical dérive, without ever having to worry about drifting out of the chosen field. The endeavor would not only serve as a way to gather data, but also as a reflection on possible methodologies suitable for this kind of research. Considering the shape and layout of the island I chose to start from the South Ferry Terminal, from there I would move northwards, directed by steady pitches that I heard, or imagined I heard in the distance. Thus it became a northbound zigzag walk, along the east side and back along the west side, starting the next day where I stopped the day before. I recorded each steady pitch, hum or other flat line that I would encounter. This could never become an exhaustive research, but its random character yielded data with some objectivity at least. I deliberately did not search for the source of the sounds (though it was clear that most were coming from air-conditioning vents and transformer hums) but for its clear entity-like audible presence in the pedestrian environment, often determined by reflections on the surfaces of buildings. This conscious avoidance (as much as possible) of knowing the source of the sound allowed for primary, sensory perception, with as little 'anecdotic bias' as possible." (Guy de Bievre)

Guy de Bievre (*1961) is a composer, musician, curator and theorist, based in Gent (B). As a composer/performer he focuses on experiments, which combine computer, live electronics, acoustics and standard arrangement formats. He had works commissioned and/or performed by musicians such as Guy Klucevsek, Seth Josel, Anne La Berge, The Bozza Mansion Project, Annette Sachs, Zivatar Trio and various local and international organizations. As a performer (performing internationally in Europe, the USA and Japan) next to his own works, he collaborated with various composers and musicians such as Phill Niblock, Anne La Berge, Tom Hamilton, Ensemble Champ d?Action, and Peter Zummo. Since 2002 he curates the 'Earwitness' sound art series at CCNOA center for contemporary non-objective art (Brussels, B), and after working for various contemporary and experimental music related organizations (e.g. the Logos Foundation (Gent) and the IPEM (Institute for Psychoacoustics and Electronic Music of the Gent University), he recently finished a two year term as a researcher in the theory department of the Jan Van Eyck Academy in Maastricht. As a music and sound theorist he published in magazines like MusikTexte (D) and Musicworks (CAN). Recent publications include 'The Quest for the Sonorous Absolute', published in 'Sacred Bordello' a Charlemagne Palestine monography (Editions de L'Aquarium Agnostique, Valenciennes, France, 2003). In addition, he freelances as a microcontroller developer (mainly for museums and artists), sound engineer and lecturer on sound art and contemporary experimental music (as a guest teacher he gave lectures and workshops at the Académie des Beaux Arts (F), the HISK in Antwerp (B), the Provinciale Hogeschool in Hasselt (B), and the Ecole de Recherche Graphique in Brussels (B). His compositions are published by the Japanese label Eva and the Italian label Pierrot Lunaire.

date.
25/02/2005, 18.00 – 20.00 u/h

location.
CCNOA center for contemporary non-objective art
Blvd Barthelemylaan 5
B-1000 Brussels

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