SMMSSS (Sounds in Materials, Materials in Systems, Systems in Sounds)

In this one-week workshop at Sound Art Lab in Struer, we will explore various materials and their potential to generate diverse sounds and resonances, informed by systems theory. These materials can be activated in several ways, including simple programming (e.g., using Arduino or Raspberry Pi).

The workshop focuses on “physical” sounds – sounds that are primarily experienced through other sources than a speaker. We will work with small motors, various materials, and transducers. Emphasis will be placed on process and experimentation that connects with your personal artistic practice. As a result, there won’t be an end-of-workshop exhibition or formal presentation of “final products.” However, participants are encouraged to share smaller presentations with the group if they feel inclined. Additionally, there is an opportunity to present a finished version of your project at the Spor Festival in May this year.

During the week, we will also go on smaller excursions to sound-related spaces.

While knowledge of audio software, basic sound technology, and theory is beneficial, it is not a requirement for participation.

TEACHERS:

Nolan Lem

Nolan Lem is an artist and researcher whose work navigates the intersections of sound, motion, and collective interaction. Drawing from a wide array of materials, devices, and cultural objects, his practice creates sensory environments that emerge from networks of sonic machinery. Lem’s work has been featured internationally at venues such as the Museum of Modern Art Buenos Aires, Pioneer Works, L’HOSTE Art Contemporain, and the Danish National Museum of Music.
Lem holds an MFA from Columbia University, where he studied at the Computer Music Center, and a PhD from Stanford University’s Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA). His ongoing research and creative projects explore the convergence of technology, sound, and systems thinking in contemporary art.

Claus Haxholm

Claus Haxholm graduated from The Royal Danish Academy of Arts in 2014. Besides working and teaching as an artist he also makes music.
He has primarily shown art in Denmark but performed world wide and has been a vital part of the Copenhagen experimental music scene for decades.

Jacob Eriksen

Jacob Eriksen is an artist, curator and researcher in sound. He received his B.A. in musicology, philosophy, and literature from the University of Copenhagen and York University and his M.A. in Sound Studies from Berlin University of the Arts (UdK). He has conducted courses in cultural studies, sound studies and artistic research at the Humboldt University of Berlin, RMC in Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen, The New Centre for Research & Practice, and Berlin University of the Arts. Since 2018 he has been faculty at the M.A. programme Sound Studies and Sonic Arts at Berlin University of the Arts and since 2022 the director of Sound Art Lab and Struer Tracks – Biennial for Sound And Listening in Struer.