Biography

Ben Kaya is a Turkish-American, Brussels based composer, producer and performer. His work primarily is concerned with simplicity, limitation and repetition, using long durations, repetitive motifs and a focus on texture in sound and visuals to bring a natural life to his vision. His compositions often include the use of alternative tuning systems, electronics in combination with acoustic instrumentation, programming and acoustic phenomenon. Among sound he also works with light, projection and physical materials in installation works that carry a similar ethos to his sound practice

Bayo Hassan Bello engages with embodied beliefs, indigenous systems, material culture, language forms and archival practices. His texts and time-based works include artist books, curatorial projects, experimental films, interdisciplinary inquiries, site-specific installations and durational performances. His writings engage with transtextuality and semiotics to reveal the rhythmic textures and associative meanings of words through poetry, short stories, essays, reviews and book translations. His exhibitions create liminal and empathetic spaces to engage with alternative narratives and perspectives. His installations engage with regenerative materials and mediums to explore knowledge systems and social imaginaries. His performances expand, mediate and amplify perceptions of the body, space and time; and often asks ‘how much live is live?’

Artistic project

ohùn in Yoruba means voice, object, presence. It also means to craft or to weave. ohùn as a highly tactile and modular work is inspired by Yoruba beliefs and prioritizes the use of regenerative materials and processes. Much like sounding bodies inhabits space, the work invites a profound connection to riverine and wetland ecosystems.

The work consists of a performance, research and installation developed in dialogue with artists, researchers, institutions and communities within close proximity to physical bodies of water. The installation consists of modular speakers that can be transformed into different configurations with endless possibilities. The sound systems are mainly informed by traditional drums and percussive instruments.

The performance element of the work involve choreographed movements and live improvisations. The speakers as sounding bodies with other scenographic objects provide a focus for dynamic interactions. Placing, covering and rotating the speakers affect their form as well the sound that they emit. The built-in sound consists of live processed audio with pre-determined compositions that adapt to changes in the elements and movement as a basis for their complexity. The compositional structure for the sound incorporates rhythmic and acoustic phenomena. Installing the speakers at their provides a performative dimension where the audience can directly interact with the speaker in a dynamic sense. The placement and configuration of the speakers allow for unique variations in aesthetics, acoustics and scenography. The blending of the speakers into nature is central to the regenerative nature of the work.

Format: performance

Size of audience: unspecified

Specific location: indoor and outdoor space

Timing/duration: unspecified