Karl Lemieux & BJ Nilsen – unearthed

The border area of Norway and Russia, where the sparse beauty of the Arctic landscape meets industrial decay and heavy pollution, is where BJ Nilsen and Karl Lemieux collected material for their audiovisual collaboration unearthed. In their contribution to the Sonic Acts / Dark Ecology publication The Geologic Imagination they write: ‘Nikel’s red and white chimneys hiss and growl as they spew out clouds of smoke. The air is difficult to breath today. With little wind, the acoustics are more noticeable and sound travels in unexpected patterns between the blocks of buildings. There is also an interesting short echo effect in some open-air locations, perhaps resulting from the reflective façades on the buildings and the lack of vegetation.’ Commissioned by Sonic Acts and Hilde Methi for Dark Ecology. BJ Nilsen (SE) is a Swedish composer and sound artist based in Berlin and London. His work is primarily focused on the sounds of nature and how they affect humans. His two latest solo albums, released by Touch, Eye Of The Microphone (2013) – based on the sound of London – and The Invisible City (2010), explore the urban acoustic realm. He has collaborated with Chris Watson on Storm and Wind, also released by Touch (2006, 2001). His original scores and soundtracks have featured in theatre and dance performances and film, including Microtopia and Test Site (2013, 2010, dir. Jesper Wachtmeister), Enter the Void (2010, dir. Gaspar Noé), and, in collaboration with Jóhann Jóhannsson, I Am Gere (2014, dir. Anders Morgenthaler). www.bjnilsen.com Karl Lemieux’s (CA) films, installations, and performances have screened internationally in museums, galleries, music venues and film festivals. He is more commonly known as the ninth member of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, a Montreal music collective for which he does live 16mm film projections. His collaborations include works with sound artists such as Philip Jeck, BJ Nilsen, Francisco Lopez, Roger Tellier-Craig and Alexandre St-Onges. Together with Daïchi Saïto he founded Double Négatif, a Montreal-based collective, dedicated to the production and dissemination of experimental films. Live Premiere Sonic Acts The Geologic Imagination 27 February 2015 Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, Amsterdam, NL www.sonicacts.com