A-Sides a Cosmology of Audio Editions by Artists Around the Arc Lémanique Region
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A-Sides A cosmology of audio editions by artists around the Arc Lémanique region Lauren Schmid et Roxane Bovet (eds.) co-éditeur HEAD-Genève attribution - pas d’utilisation commerciale - partage dans les mêmes conditions Ici, il conviendra de rappeler aux sceptiques et aux petits penseurs que le libre partage de contenu va au delà du téléchargement illégal de films holywoodiens. Une idée que les presses de Gutenberg n’ont pas su satisfaire, et qui ne se veut pas croisades de missionnaires, mais qui par des conditions nouvelles devient possible. Bien que dans notre cas il ne s’agisse que de simples « petits projets d’art », si l’information était libre, les vaccins contre le sida ne seraient pas réservés à une élite blanche et les voitures qui emmènent vos enfants à l’école auraient depuis longtemps cessé d’être une catastrophe pour leur avenir. Des parasols à l’envers permettent à tout le monde de profiter du soleil et pas à une minorité privilégiée d’être à l’ombre et, de toute manière, les parasols n’ont jamais protégé qui que ce soit d’un astéroïde. I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI I Version #1, Alexandre Bianchini — Huber Mean, CGGC, artwork by Alexandre Bianchini A-SIDES II / IV / IX Colorplan Excel, Honey for Petzi, 8&0 Records, cover/artwork by Francis Baudevin A cosmology of audio editions by artists III / VI Strung Out, One plus One, 8&0 Records, cover/artwork by Francis Baudevin and Gilles Gavillet around the Arc Lémanique region V / XI Provocative / Persuasive, B. Bert, T. Surgal, S. Vuille, J-B Geoffroy, 8&0 Records, cover/artwork by John Armleder Edited by Laurent Schmid and Roxane Bovet VII / VIII / X Moonshine / Ziska Lovis, F. Staubli, Ch. Pahud, A. Stiefel, A. Vuille, With John Armleder, Francis Baudevin, 8&0 Records, cover/artwork by Francis Baudevin Mathieu Copeland, Jonathan Frigeri, Stéphane Kropf Published by Clinamen & HEAD – Genève 17 Roxane Bovet Introduction: Collecting Stories Publishers Daniel Löwenbrück — Laurent Schmid and Perspectives statements Tochnit Aleph Jan van Toorn — Slowscan Ben Schot — Sea Urchin 21 PARALLAXES Volker Zander — Apparent Extent 23 Roxane Bovet A-sides: Hybridity, Plasticity, Simultaneity in the Conception, Artist statements Bruno Sphere Instruments and Methodology on cassettes (collected Tzii of Research by Jonathan Frigeri) Christophe Piette Benjamin Novello (Blanktapes) 34 Laurent Schmid Suivre des harengs rouges d’incise Frédéric Post 52 Camilla Paolino A-sides, B-sides or When the Francesco Cavaliere Tape Recorder Killed the Author Aymeric de Topol Lieven Martens 62 Francis Baudevin RRM RRRMMM RRM Sixto Fernando Zamzamrec 66 Laurence Wagner Head Against the Sidewalk, Ergo Phizmiz with a Bloody Knee Feldermelder Joke Lanz 71 Christophe Kihm Secondhand Temporal Objects: An Experiential Look at the Audio Cassette 217 Important Existing Anthologies on Art & Vinyl 78 Luca Frei The Gravesaner Blätter 81 COMPENDIUM 113 GLOBULAR CLUSTERS Interviews Anne Le Troter John Armleder Karl Holmqvist Charlemagne Palestine Maurizio Nannucci Andrew Chuddy aka N.U. Unruh, Franz Treichler, and FM Einheit Hannah Weinberger 14 15 INTRODUCTION COLLECTING STORIES AND PERSPECTIVES Roxane Bovet and Laurent Schmid 16 17 As we compiled our list of albums and exchanged with many actors of realized that our efforts over time have shown that there is no an- the sound and art scenes, it became clear to us that we were creat- swer: the story becomes a kind of myth, a mystery that circulates ing something that extended far beyond mere enumeration and that with its own narrative which constantly calls reality into question. it was necessary to agree upon our methodologies. First of all, we Then John Armleder confirmed the anecdote in another discussion: had to understand the extent to which our search for media products Palestine had created a large mural (or was it a collage?). In this way, also raised questions about their historicity. Consequently, our aim the work takes shape, the story stands alone as an exemple. was neither to solve any enigmas, nor to provide a genuine, compre- In the end it doesn’t matter whether something is true or a lie. hensive anthology, or indexed list of sound productions, but rather to Unlike comets, these stories inhabit an idiosyncratic space (where try to recognize and understand the field in which we have been and clocks hold up an imaginary center) and they are essentially nour- still are operating and, of course, the effects of adding to the field of ished by other stories: it’s somewhere at this point that the magic research itself. happens. The primary and the possible converge, and that is where The realization that we can turn things around as we like, and the real story begins. that the “making of history” through this “re-mediatization” is ines- capable, has only increased our verve and motivation. In addition to this publication, we have initiated a project with vinyl albums in which we play an active role in their perpetuation. As a result, we have cre- ated audio editions with the artists who have played a decisive role in our search process, so it was important to us that they also be featured in a sound publication. The initial artists include Hannah Weinberger (in collaboration with the Centre d’Art Contemporain, Geneva), Karl Holmqvist, Anne Le Troter, Charlemagne Palestine, and John Armleder. The series goes on… “Sometimes it is good to take one step forward and then two steps back, and to walk in circles again. What if the story has no end? Why can’t we be satisfied with stories without a conclusion, without a gun or knife, these stories that leave us stranded?” This story is not ours, it is one told by hundreds of mouths and it is availa- ble in several versions. We have made no attempt to synthesize the collected stories: if we have two versions, why not keep both instead of trying to find a nonexistent truth? Truth in our case tends to be the movement be- tween different points, truth lies in the multiplicity of possibilities. Sometimes inaccuracy occurs due to the indifference or ig- norance of the visiting artists. At other times, it’s only a matter of time, which turns real events into legends in which we no longer be- lieve. In an interview, Charlemagne Palestine recounts the story of a show that allegedly took place in Geneva. We have looked for it, but we couldn’t find any sign of it. We have uncovered several traces of recordings, albums and performances, but no exhibition. However, there was definitely an exhibition. Investigations yielded nothing, either with Ecart, nor with the Centre de l’Edition Contemporaine (CEC), or the Centre d’Art Contemporain (CAC). All of a sudden, we 18 19 PARALLAX E S 20 21 A-SIDES: HYBRIDITY, PLASTICITY, SIMULTANEITY IN THE CONCEPTION, INSTRUMENTS AND METHODOLOGY OF R E S Roxane Bovet E ARCH 22 23 POINT OF DEPARTURE: THE COLLOQUE DE TANGER Limit ourselves to visual artists? What about experimental musi- Despite the urgency of the subject and the renown of cians? Should we include everyone who was, in addition to their ar- the participants, it is said that the encounter took place tistic practice, part of a band? What about albums where only the amidst the total indifference of the Swiss. cover was done by an artist? To make it all official: In 1975, an avant-garde of artists, poets, and musicians came to- 1. we are focusing upon artists and sound productions by art- gether in Geneva for three days of performances, concerts, festi- ists who had a link to the Geneva area, along with the labels vals, lectures, exhibitions and discussions. The participants includ- that produced these works; ed the likes of William S. Burroughs, Cozette de Charmoy, Henri Chopin, Françoise Colin, John Giorno, Brion Gysin, and Françoise 2. we are excluding productions such as vinyl records and cas- Janicot.¹ The event was called the Colloque de Tanger (“The settes for which only the cover was produced by an artist; Tangiers Symposium”) and was a symposium in name only. The question raised was that of the subversion of language, and con- 3. it is important that our research include different circles of sequently that of our economy and our politics. Since none of our people and all types of sound productions (concrete or sound current congregation was able to attend, we chose this encounter poetry, spoken word, acoustic experimentation, sound land- as an arbitrary point of departure. Over sixty years, the situation in scapes, artist radio stations, etc.); Geneva has had time to change at every level of interest to us. The artists who were present at the time have left Geneva, many others 4. considering the abundance of production by labels, some se- arrived and those who remain continue to produce and experiment. ries of cassettes are only represented by their most iconic or New structures were created, to such an extent that we sometimes revealing elements; struggled to rediscover the exact contours of its first trace. The Colloque de Tanger is one story among many others. At that time, it was the point of departure of a search whose object was as yet 1 Research is conducted without any straight lines, it is an uncertain unknown. A-sides is also an examination of the research itself. The process by capillary actions, with inherent transformations construction of research tools and methodological questions has and which returns upon itself. It is not a matter of refusing method, but rather one of recognizing the limits of all the methodologies been as much a subject of examination as the sonic productions in order to be capable of changing and adapting them constantly and vinyl albums of the artists.