First names for Sonic Acts Festival 2015

Thursday 11 December 2015 12:37

26 February –1 March 2015, Amsterdam Sonic Acts announces the first names for the 2015 edition: philosopher Graham Harman, theorists Benjamin Bratton and Timothy Morton, architect and researcher Liam Young, NYT bestselling author Jeff Vandermeer and research journalist Alan Weisman, media historian Douglas Kahn, geologist Michael Welland, artists Kurt Hentschläger, BJ Nilsen, Karl Lemieux, Jana Winderen and Raviv Ganchrow; the opening evening at the Stedelijk Museum with Florian Hecker, and concerts by Vessel, M.E.S.H., TCF and TONALIENS - featuring Hilary Jeffrey, Amelia Cuni, Werner Durand, Robin Hayward and Ralf Meinz - and a new commissioned work by Mario de Vega. Inspired by geosciences, this edition of the Sonic Acts Festival zooms in on planet Earth through the theme The Geologic Imagination. Human activity has irreversibly changed the composition of the atmosphere, the oceans, and even the Earth’s crust. Humanity has become a geological force. The way we see the world, how we understand the systems and processes of nature, and our intentions and interactions with the planet are central to The Geologic Imagination. How do science and art document and portray the changes and transformations that occur on a geological scale? How can we experience these changes and transformations? Sonic Acts invites artists and theorists to tap into their 'geologic imagination' and present the images, sounds and ideas that it generates. Conference In the four-day conference, artists, scientists and writers discuss The Geologic Imagination, explore the radical transformations to our world, and what it means to live in the Anthropocene. Confirmed speakers at the event include philosopher Graham Harman, a major figure in the philosophical movement known as Object Oriented Ontology; media historian Douglas Kahn whose most recent book Earth Sound Earth Signal is about art at ‘Earth magnitude’; geologist – and sand enthusiast – Michael Welland; Timothy Morton, the theorist who coined the term ‘Dark Ecology’; Benjamin Bratton, a theorist whose work spans philosophy, art and design; research journalist Alan Weisman, author of The World Without Us; architect and researcher Liam Young; and novelist Jeff Vandermeer, whose most recent work is the New York Times-bestselling Southern Reach trilogy. Concerts and performances The festival includes several evenings of concerts and performances that probe the deeper levels of audiovisual experience in relation to The Geologic Imagination. The programme at the Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ on Friday 27 February 2015 features the world premieres of a new commissioned work by Mario de Vega, unearthed by BJ Nilsen & Karl Lemieux, and a new work by Jana Winderen. The last two were commissioned by Sonic Acts, and were inspired by the Dark Ecology journey to Northern Norway and Russia. Vessel, M.E.S.H. and TCF are confirmed for the exciting clubnight in OT301, following the opening on Thursday 26 February 2015. TONALIENS, with Hilary Jeffrey (trombone), Amelia Cuni (voice), Werner Durand, Ralf Meinz, and Robin Hayward (microtonal tuba) perform the closing concert on Sunday 1 March 2015 in the Vondelkerk. Opening The opening of the Sonic Acts Festival at the Stedelijk Museum, on Thursday 26 February 2015, features the climactic third chapter in the trilogy of text–sound pieces Florian Hecker created in collaboration with writer–philosopher Reza Negarestani. Field Trip Raviv Ganchrow is developing Long-Wave Synthesis, a new land-art scale sound installation investigating infrasound. The work deals with extremely long waves, interacts with the landscape and is an invitation to ‘think at Earth magnitude’. A new prototype will be shown on Sunday 1 March 2015 at an outdoor location yet to be announced, accompanied by a series of lectures on infrasound by Raviv Ganchrow and several other scientists. Publication The Geologic Imagination The festival programme is complimented by a publication. The essays, interviews and visual contributions explore the theme of The Geologic Imagination from a broad range of perspectives. The book contains essays by Timothy Morton, Douglas Kahn, Paul Bogard, Michael Welland and Raviv Ganchrow; interviews with Dipesh Chakrabarty, Matthew Coolidge, Liam Young, Noortje Marres, Kodwo Eshun, Kurt Hentschläger, and Mario de Vega; and visual contributions by Femke Herregraven, Mirna Belina, Ellsworth & Kruse, the Center for Land Use Interpretation, Marijn de Jong, and BJ Nilsen & Karl Lemieux. It also includes the new composition unearthed by BJ Nilsen, made in Northern Norway and Northwest Russia as part of the first Dark Ecology journey. The book will be presented on Saturday 17 January 2015 in De Balie Amsterdam, during our Book Launch & New Year’s Reception, in cooperation with Gonzo (Circus). Sonic Acts Festival 2015 - The Geologic Imagination Thursday 26 February to Sunday 1 March 2015 Various locations in Amsterdam, including Paradiso, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, OT301, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, Vondelkerk, and Steim. Tickets A limited number of Early Bird Passepartouts is already on sale and are available until 31 December 2014. Day passes and event tickets will be on sale from 1 January 2015; from this date the Passepartouts will only be available for the regular price. Early Bird Passepartout (until 31-12-2014): regular €70 / discount €60 Passepartout: regular €90 / discount €80 Day Pass (Thu 26 Feb / Fri 27 Feb / Sat 28 Feb): regular €30 / discount €27,50 Conference Ticket (Thu 26 Feb / Fri 27 Feb / Sat 28 Feb): regular €20 / discount €17,50 Opening Stedelijk Museum (Thu 26 Feb): regular €17,50 / discount €10 / MJK €2,50 Sonic Acts at OT301 (Thu 26 Feb): regular €10 / discount €7,50 Sonic Acts at Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ (Fri 27 Feb): regular €17,50 / discount €15 Sonic Acts at Paradiso (Sat 28 Feb): regular €13,50 / discount €11 Sonic Acts Field Trip (Sun 1 Mar): regular €20 / discount €17,50 Sonic Acts at Vondelkerk (Sun 1 Mar): regular €12,50 / discount €10 Professionals can apply for accreditation here. Join our Facebook event. To get in the mood for the coming edition, check out this video impression of Sonic Acts 2013:

Sonic Acts XV - 2013 - The Dark Universe from Sonic Acts on Vimeo.

The Geologic Imagination is generously supported by Creative Industries Fund NL, Mondriaan Fund, City of Amsterdam, Paradiso, Fonds 21, Creative Europe Programme of the European Union, Amsterdam Fund for the Arts, Performing Arts Fund NL, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, PNEK, and UNSW Australia.

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