2nd Annual Workshop/Residency for sound artists & composers
Mmabolela Reserve, Limpopo, South Africa
17-30 November 2014 / 2 weeks
Conceived and directed by
Francisco López
Coordination and logistics by
James Webb
17-30 November 2014 / 2 weeks
Conceived and directed by
Francisco López
Coordination and logistics by
James Webb
‘Sonic
Mmabolela’ is a 2-week workshop/residency for professional and
semiprofessional sound artists and composers with previous experience in
the area of sound experimentation and field recordings.
It takes place at Mmabolela Reserve, in the Limpopo province of South Africa, right at the border with Botswana.
It involves field work, studio work and theoretical/discussion presentations.
The
workshop/residency has a special focus on creative approaches to the
work with field recordings, through an extensive exploration of natural
sound environments. It does not have a technical character but is
instead conceived and directed towards the development and realization
of projects of sonic creation by the participant artists/composers with
the field recordings gathered.
‘Sonic Mmabolela’ draws from previous experience of an equivalent workshop / residency, also conceived and directed by Francisco López, in the Brazilian Amazon (“Mamori Sound Project” 2005 2011), which has been attended by 70 artists from all over the world, who have produced to date dozens of releases, sound installations, exhibitions, films, publications and public presentations worldwide, based on the sound materials and experience gathered during that workshop / residency.
The activities of the workshop/residency include:
• Introductory theoretical/discussion presentation sessions on field recordings and sound creation, with a historical/philosophical/critical perspective.
• Field trips (both diurnal and nocturnal) for extensive listening and recording of sound environments.
• Sessions of studio work (with laptop) using these materials.
• Artists’ presentation/discussion sessions on sound creative work / field recordings.
• Development and realization of a sound piece by each participant with the original sound materials gathered in the field work.
• Presentation of the finished pieces by the participant artists.
All these activities are organized in a daily schedule according to the changing sonic environments of Mmabolela Reserve.
This typically involves many hours of field and studio work but there is also flexibility to allow participants to choose from several schedule options.
The language for the workshop/residency is English. The director also speaks Spanish and has conversational levels of French, Portuguese and Italian.