In the AF Gallery this October we will be presenting a series of works created by the prolific and influential Spanish artist Francisco López between 1980 and 2014. These works, including a series of recordings taken in the forests and National Parks of Aotearoa in 2004, have been carefully selected from material sent by López earlier in 2015 to provide an overview of one of the world’s leading sound-art practitioners.

A blending of natural and man-made sound is fundamental to López’s work, much of which draws heavily on fielding recording – the sourcing of sound from the environment at large as opposed to in a studio. As the sounds of jungles mingle with those of death-metal, or heavy-industry, the connotation and meaning of sound is simultaneously broken down and reinforced in an admixture of timbres, sound-sources, and treatments.

For López, the hierarchy of ‘musical’ vs. ‘non-musical’ sound is a fraught and arbitrary condition which limits the potential of new musical composition, as well our means of engaging, listening and enjoying sound. More important is the act of listening itself; attending, actively and equally, to the sounds around us, whether they be those of an insect or of a power plant.

This presentation will take form in two ways: as an installation, Snippets and Excerpts, which will run for the duration of the exhibition, and as a day of special listening events, Reductions, where two small groups can experience key themes of López’s practice –reduction and immersion– in an visceral and unique manner. The conditions of these events will adhere to specifics set by López, which relate to calculated sensorial reductions, and the resulting hyper-sensitivity of enhanced aural attendance.

These will take place on the first day of Auckland Art Week, Saturday 8 October, at 2pm & 3pm beginning at Audio Foundation. Numbers will be strictly limited with booking essential. For more information, please contact us via email at admin@audiofoundation.org.nz.

In association with this show, we are excited to invite participation in a day of field recording, workshopping, and discussion with Dr. Reuben Derrick, an expert in the theory and practice of field recording. Derrick’s doctoral dissertation, ‘Acoustic Illuminations: Recorded Space as Soundscape Composition’, drew upon field recording and improvisation, and featured locations in New Zealand, Australia and Sri Lanka.

This day of hands-on recording has been designed to compliment themes of listening, composition, place, and embodiment present in the work of Francisco López. Please see below for Dr. Derrick’s description of the programme:

Field Recording Workshop: A Practical Introduction to Environmental Sound Recording

Field/location recording is now a highly accessible and rapidly growing practice. This hands-on workshop will introduce some of its many applications, strategies and techniques with particular focus on a style of creative practice in which listening is a compositional activity. Participants will explore nearby locations to make their own recordings. These will be edited and presented to the rest of the group.  

Participants will need to bring headphones and portable recording devices (almost anything that records sound is fine, eg. smartphones with a suitable recording app, dictaphones, handheld or professional recorders/microphones). 

Some equipment may be provided by the Audio Foundation.  

Snippets and Excerpts: Francisco López, 1980 – 2014
Opens Thursday 6 October, 5.30pm, with refreshments provided by Liberty Brewing!
Gallery open 12 – 4pm, Tuesday – Saturday.
Closes Saturday 29 October 4.00pm.

Reductions
Saturday 8 October, 2pm & 3pm
Please email admin@audiofoundation.org.nz to book a spot.
See www.audiofoundation.org.nz/programmes/live-events/reductions-a-special-listening-event for more information

Field Recording Workshop: A Practical Introduction to Environmental Sound Recording
Saturday 29 October, 11am at Audio Foundation
$10 per person. Please email admin@audiofoundation.org.nz to book a spot.
See www.audiofoundation.org.nz/programmes/live-events/field-recording-workshop for more information.