Poetic Echolocation

How does the ear perceive the space around us?
How are buildings made to sing?

We retreated from the safe context of the studio, studios and rehearsal spaces for two days to create a composition with found materials in the brutal but resonant architecture of a building complex with an industrial past.

A site-specific composition workshop was held at the Arsenal site under the guidance of sound artist David Helbich and teachers from the composition and media arts departments. First ad hoc sounds and instruments were found on site, then a composition was developed that played the space with simple means. Some electronic and acoustic material was provided to the group. The interaction of sound and movement in relation to space was central to this workshop.

The whole thing played out over two days. The workshop started with an introduction, exercises and experiments. This was followed by time to develop work individually or in groups. The workshop ended with a public presentation.

David Helbich studied composition and philosophy in Amsterdam and Freiburg. Since 2002, he has lived and worked in Brussels. He creates various experimental works for stage, paper, internet and public space. His track moves between representational and interactive works, pieces and interventions, between conceptual work and actions. A recurring interest in his oeuvre is the notion of an audience as active individuals and the search for an opening of experiences in an artistically limited space.