Signum device with Victor Mazon – Sound Unfolded series, April 2016
Two day workshop and artist talk led by artist Victor Mazon
Workshop Date: 9 / 10 April, 11am to 7pm.
Location: Cafe OTO Project Space
Cost: £95 (Keep your device! All electronic materials and documentation included)
Artist Talk Date: 11 April, 7pm to 9.30pm
Location: LimeWharf Yard, Vyner Street
Cost: Free
Listen to electromagnetic waves caused by modern devices and natural forces. Hear the patterns of ultraviolet and infrared light; the vibrations of ferric objects; the friction caused by insects and underwater sounds. Listen to the noise of tectonic movements, or of lighting phenomena thousands of kilometers distant.
Participants in the SIGNUM workshop will build and take home their own device, which is designed to record and listen to sounds hidden in the electromagnetic spectrum: those invisible frequencies, electromagnetic fields and signals that constantly surround us but that we are usually unable to hear.
The workshop will be lead by Victor Mazon Gardoqui, who’s the author of the workshop’s concept, electronics design and documentation.
The device includes a transducer, opticals, coils, germanium diodes and a small loop antenna, which coheres sonically and allows users to listen to surrounding signals that would fall out of the human hearing range. The workshop will also introduce participants to using the electromagnetic spectrum within artistic practices.
No previous experience in electronics is necessary, but interest and patience mandatory.
Additionally you can register to the free follow up artist talk taking place at Music Hackspace (in LimeWharf) on April 11 where we will have the chance to see the Signum device in action, exploring how different artists use the device during a practice based event lead by Víctor Mazón Gardoqui and with composer Neil Kaczor as special guest.
SIGNUM device is a translator – it uncovers the encrypted codes of information and the language of man/machine communication- which remain unintelligible without technical aid. Sharpening our awareness about what surrounds us, we will capture radio waves, FM/AM, ultrasounds, translocal network connections, personal broadcast spaces, inaudible electromagnetic fields, photoelectric effects, etc, read with a micro controller like an Arduino, Pic or a raspberry pi. SIGNUM can be used for various applications and in different environments: for the measurement and analysis of different signals through its 8 sensors and inputs, for field recordings, music composition or for aesthetic purposes within the sound or visual art praxis, as it has the unique ability to provide a wide sound palette and hard-to-identify sounds. The device is intended as an experimental tool for educational purposes and artistic practice.
The Music Hackspace’ programme is supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
