»Metamusic« by alien productions

In every bigger city, there is a zoological garden, where animals are on display for the public. A zoo is an architecutral space that widely reflects the relationship we have to the animal world - the more we estimate the rights and needs of the animals, the more we want them to live in ambients replicating their natural habitats rather than in small cages. We understand that boredom is a major problem of living in captivity. Much has to be undertaken to offer new challenges and diversions to the zoo inhabitants.

Our project aims to build electronic sound installations to be used by the animals themselves. Using a wide range of sensors and tools, the animals become able to explore and to play with sounds and sonic moods.

The animals, not the humans, will be in full control of the outcome of this sonic scuplture. It is our intention to build the tools in a close collaboration with scientists and zookeepers. Animals do not use music in the way humans do. Human music means nothing to them. But maybe, thery find meanings and use in sound, which we have not yet discovered, and what we can enjoy once we let them take control themselves.

Alien Productions Bio

alien productions was founded 1997 by Andrea Sodomka, Martin Breindl, Norbert Math and August Black as a network for working on the theory and practice of new technologies and media. Since 1985 all four artists have transcended boundaries with their technological art—as a group or as individuals, and often in collaboration with other artists. Their work includes media performances and installations, electronic music, net art, radio art, sound art, interactive art, video, the visual arts and artistic photography. alien productions stands especially for cooperative projects with other artists, technicians, theorists and scientists. alien productions is not a group of artists in a classic sense, but an open network, where specialists of different provenance work in an interdisciplinary way. alien productions also contribute to collaborative radio- and internetprojects on a regular base.

Credits

Authors
alien productions [ Martin Breindl | Norbert Math | Andrea Sodomka ]

Other cooperators …
Maga Iris Baldinger, Maga Catarina Markovic-Güttner (zoological guidance, animal attendance / zoologische Beratung, wissenschaftliche Betreuung), Marion Wenny (zoological guidance / zoologische Beratung), Susanna Niedermayr (project documentation / Projektdokumentation, Ö1 Zeitton), Norbert Schweizer (project management / Projektbegleitung), Manfred Weiss, Gerd Thaller (construction (aviary) / Bauten (Voliere)), Michael Reiter (construction (instruments) / Bauten (Instrumente)) a.o.

Commissioned piece by musikprotokoll im steirischen herbst 2013; winning project ECAS Artist in Residence 2012 working period 2 „Bridging“; produced in cooperation with ARGE Papageienschutz (Nadja Ziegler, chairwoman); supported by ORF Radio Ö1, ORF Steiermark, Bundeskanzleramt Österreich Sektion Kunst a.o.

Installation

Aviary with live grey parrots, 3 x 5 x 2,50 m, interactive electronic instruments, four channel sound. Concert: live electronics, performed by two musicians on stage, video projection of live footage of the parrots, sound from the aviary (instruments and ambient) streamed live into the concert space.