Prenúncios e catástrofes at Sesc Pompeia expands the boundaries of audiovisual art
We recently discussed the impact of digital media on photography on Ouvir Imagens, my column on Rádio USP. In audiovisual art, from an aesthetic perspective, digital media’s most important impact has been to dissolve the boundaries between artistic languages. The project Prenúncios e catástrofes, currently at Sesc Pompeia, sheds light on these considerations.
Prenúncios e catástrofes is a series of audiovisual concerts that question the boundaries between cinema, musical performance, theater, and multimedia installation. Curated by Lucas Bambozzi, the project takes place every Wednesday at 9 p.m. until July 11. Its guiding theme is the inexorable nature of catastrophes, bringing together artists from Greece, Brazil, Canada, and Uruguay who reflect on these issues.
Brazil is represented by the experimental sound group Cão. Its members are Bruno Palazzo, Dora Longo Bahia, a professor at ECA-USP, Maurício Ianês, and Ricardo Carioba. Last Wednesday, Cão presented its latest work, Aurora, offering a sonic interpretation of the northern lights, shown through images captured by Dora Longo Bahia in Iceland.
Throughout the performance, the images and live sound create layers of experience that form a unique media landscape. Dissonance guides us through it, sometimes bringing us closer to the aurora’s entrancing nature, sometimes placing us in a state of suspicion, awaiting an event that might break the spell and finally propel us toward catastrophe…
This week’s performer is the Uruguayan artist Brian Mackern, one of the pioneers of net art, with the installation-performance Temporal de Santa Rosa (shown in the featured image). In Temporal de Santa Rosa, Brian explores radio interference caused by the storm of the same name. This storm usually occurs in the Río de la Plata region between five days before and five days after August 30, the feast day of Saint Rose of Lima, patron saint of the Americas.
XTCS RCPTN [statics-reception]. Track 5. By Brian Mackern. Access the XTCS series here
The storm’s name comes from a legend about the mystical powers of a religious woman known as Rosa. She is said to have summoned the storm in 1615 to prevent Dutch pirates from attacking Lima, Peru.
Performing live, Brian Mackern captures waves present in the environment and manipulates the venue’s sonic atmosphere to recreate the storm’s electrostatic presence. The result is magical. You have to see it.
The performance takes place this Wednesday, June 27, at 9 p.m., at Sesc Pompeia. Admission is free.
Transcript of Ouvir Imagens, Giselle Beiguelman’s column broadcast every Monday at 8 a.m. on Rádio USP (93.7 FM).
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