Listening Environments is the first presentation in Prague of past and current interdisciplinary work by Scottish composer, musician, sound artist and educator James Wyness.
The installation will energise and activate the gallery space for the duration of the exhibition. Wyness´ work will investigate new possibilities of socially shared listening and participation by means of stereo and 4 channel sound pieces created specifically for the gallery space.
The visitors can help to complete the gradually evolving installation bringing their own materials, which detailed specification can be found on gallery website. Sound materials come mainly from The Borders Archive - personal archive of field recordings from the border area to the south of Scotland and northern England (Scottish Borders and North Northumberland).
Work will also be created from new research carried out in the Czech Republic which will extend and develop an existing project, Working the Tweed. Working the Tweed is an interdisciplinary project in which four Scottish Borders based artists examine different aspects of the human and natural history around Scotland's river Tweed. The project has seen outcomes ranging from musical gatherings and exhibitions to meetings of scientists, river experts, artists and residents of Tweed environment. The aim is to explore the influence of the river on the people who live and work there.
James Wyness works with environmental, instrumental and electronic sound: field recordings of natural and human environments, microtonal hand-built instruments, found objects and materials. These elements are then processed and used as layers in dense and complex electro-acoustic compositions. He is also a reviewer and runs projects which explore environmental and social aspects of the natural and industrial landscape.
Wyness regularly organizes workshops where participants combine studio work with field work. He runs a small label Reekin Lum Records which releases limited editions of field recordings and original compositions. He is also involved in traditional music as an educator and accompanist. As a collaborator he works with with musicians (in particular Giancarlo Toniutti ), visual artists (such as Duncan Whitley, Gavin Thorogood and Kate Foster ), filmmakers (John McGeoch ) choreographers (Claire Pencak ) and writers (Jules Horne ) .
During his stay in Prague James is happy to discuss his work and to make connections with other artists (to make an appoitment contact him at elperro@wyness.org ) and on 25.11. he will perform live at Gallery Školská 28.
James Wyness is a current resident at Gallery Školská 28.
Sound technology was kindly lent by Ambient studio.
20. November from 5.30 Soond Gaitherin
The theme for this first Prague soond gaitherin is centre and edge. This can be interpreted by means of field recordings, moving image, two dimensional work, performance, text or combinations of media. The theme can be interpreted in terms of personal practice, content, concept, context, ethnographic approach and so on. To this end I would like to invite pratictioners to submit short works, presentations or performances on the theme centre and edge, no longer than 5 minutes, for inclusion in the programme.
free entrance
