Birdcage: 1485.0 kHz
by Carl Michael von Hausswolff
Sunday, March 1, 19.30
hosted by Jan Håfström
Katrinebergsbacken 8
11761 Stockholm, Sweden.
01.03.09–01.04.09
curated by Daniele Balit
Just like water can flow in any kind of form without changing its character, the friends were able to shape the sound frequencies of the radio waves by instantly modulating the existing sounds. It was the same sort of sound metamorphosis that could turn the barking of a dog into words or that could shape a new and separate sentence out of a torrent of voices. (Friedrich Jürgensen)
In the Sixties, Friedrich Jürgenson, after years of research, created a method using radio waves to capture acoustical phenomena, which he identified and recorded as voices coming from "the other side." With the help of Lena and other 'friends', he defined a specific midwave frequency for capturing the signals, now called the Jürgenson Frequency : 1485.0 kHz.
Carl Michael von Hausswolff has dedicated several works to Jürgensen, as well as curated exhibitions presenting his "audioscopic" research. Jürgenson's and other EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) explorations are to be taken beyond spiritism: white noise, electro-magnetic phenomena, acoustical residuals and frequency portions, are all core directions for many contemporary sonic experiments. It's fascinating to look back at Jürgenson's efforts in developing and refining his listening abilities in order to grasp sonic messages buried in the radio waves.
Invited to cast the first episode for the “Birdcage” project, von Hausswolff chose to experiment with an unusual environment for a sound work, a private apartment. The house belongs to Jan Håfström, one of the most renowned Swedish artists whose practice dates back to the '60s. Håfström was asked by von Hausswolff to host his work titled 1485.0 kHz: a device generating a sound stream able to recreate the same conditions experienced by Jürgenson. The 1485.0 kHz radio object will be placed in Håfström's dining room, and turned on when a dinner is hosted there. Audience of this work will only be able to experience the sound work if being invited to dinner by Jan Håfström.
Birdcage is a sound project which experiments with the non-neutrality of the exhibition space. It acts as a gallery without walls, a temporary display each time redirected to the places chosen by invited artists.
Birdcage: 1485.0 kHz
by Carl Michael von Hausswolff
curated by Daniele Balit
a guest project of
Vision Forum 2008
realized with the support
of the University of Linköpings.
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