The "cos sonor": Sonar 2013 at Cosmocaixa
From June 13 to July 7 the central spiral ramp of Cosmocaixa will become a great labyrinth of sound resonance.
Sónar and CosmoCaixa collaborate again for the fifth consecutive year, with the presentation of the sound installation "Labyrinthitis", by Danish artist Jacob Kirkegaard, which will occupy the central spiral ramp in the museum, and a series of activities including lectures, workshops and guided visits, also including a live performance of Kirkegaard’s sound pieces by himself and the Experimental Funktion trio.
Did you know that the human ear is not just a passive receiver but also is able to generate sound? Do you know what the "Tartini tone" is? The "Tartini tone" occurs when two given sounds converge to the inner ear, specifically the cochlea. Since these amplitudes have a specific relationship between them, they generate a third sound that can be heard and recorded. As a result of this curious discovery, the ears are no longer mere recipients of sounds, and instead also become broadcasters.
Kirkegaard uses these elements to build an unusual installation in which sounds are first perceived by the audience internally, within the body itself, and then become an external sound using speakers located in the museum's spiral-shaped central ramp... which is exactly the same shape as the cochlea, the precise location in the ear where the phenomenon of the third sound takes place.
The installation is accompanied by a program of complementary activities:
Thursday 13 June
7.30pm: Lecture: "Ears Outwards", with Jacob Kirkegaard (Auditorium)
8.30pm: Guided visit to the installation with Kirkegaard and the concert "Labyrinthitis II", by Experimental Funktion and Jacob Kirkegaard.
Friday 14 June
7.30pm: Lecture: "Body Percussion: a journey from the anatomy to neuroscience", with Javier Romero Naranjo, coordinator of the doctorate in "Research in Music Education and Movement" at the University of Alicante.
8.30pm: Guided visit to the installation with Kirkegaard and the "Labyrinthitis II" concert, with Experimental Funktion and Jacob Kirkegaard.
Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 June
11pm and 5.30pm: Body Percussion Workshop, with Javier Romero (Aula Lambda)
12.30pm and 4pm: Human Beatbox Workshop, with Markooz (Agora)
1pm and 6pm: Guided visit to the installation "Labyrinthitis"
Cycle curated by Arnau Horta.
Further information: Sónar