PLAN8T AIR S21 “The invisible sound”

mafmadmaf is a multimedia artist rooted in Guangzhou, China. He has been a professional in graphic design, printing and publication for more than 10 years, who places significance on tangibility during creative process. He uses modular synthesizers as his main tool to creative sound, and puts lots of effort into the dynamic of performance and human-machine interactions, while field recording, sampling and DIY instruments are also important parts of his process. Above entry points, he explores topics about regions, culture, life and time. His live performances and sound installations appeared at theatres, galleries and art spaces, such as the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale (CHINAHOUSE), Tokyo Festival of Modular, ART at FULIANG 2021.

mafmadmaf是一位植根于中国广州的多媒体艺术工作者， 从事视觉设计、印刷和出版超过十年，重视艺术创作的物质性呈现。在声音创作中，他以模块化合成器为主要表达工具，关注乐器演奏动态和人器交互，实地录音、採样、自制乐器也为其重要的创作方式，以此为切入点探讨地域、文化、生命和时间等议题。现场演出和声音装置亦见于剧场、美术馆和艺术空间，如越后妻有大地艺术祭、 东京模块合成器音乐节、艺术在浮梁等。

She/Her/Hers | 她
Installation

The mystery of life isn't a problem to solve, but a reality to experience.
― Frank Herbert, Dune

 In the second half of August 2021, just after experiencing a concurrent emergence of the epidemic in multiple cities across the country, I began my residency and creation in Danba County, the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan. The area is located in the Jiarong Tibetan area and is surrounded by four sacred mountains highly respected by the locals, one of which is the well-known Mount Mordo. During the stay, in addition to feeling the special geomorphology and climate of the mountainous area, I also had a chance to acquaint the lifestyle and cultural customs of the Jiarong Tibetan area.

 My creative method of this residency is focused on field recording, which faithfully records the actual sound (or soundscape). In the beginning, I had considered creating a new work based on deconstructed recorded materials, such as composing music, synthesizing new sounds, or making an interactive installation that is not related to the original samples. However, after 20 days of residency and working on lots of field recordings, I found that these primitive, simple, and unmodified sounds are so precious at the moment. So I decided to present these soundscape moments in the simplest way, in order to honor the most unselfish gift and most ruthless gaze of the Creator.

 I concentrated on searching for these sounds, recorded and filming them simultaneously as a vertical 16:9 aspect ratio, which is similar to a portrait and emphasizing the objectification of the sounding object or soundscape. In this creation process, the composition of soundscape is particularly important, as well as the filmed image. The hearing angle of the soundscape is much larger than the picture, so when you watch these videos, you will hear much further than the screen. The height difference between these 8 meters high veils and the seated audience is an extension of the relationship between me (human beings) and the nature that breeds all things, the sacred mountains that surround the village, and the Jiarong ancient tower...

 We are now staring at her, a mountain, a tower, a waterfall, a river, a mirror, and beyond.

Note
Prayer Flag  After Buddhism was introduced into Tibet, the prayer flags were integrated with the local primitive religions and developed a prayer flag called 'Longda' in Tibetan. The Tibetan 'Long' stands for 'wind' and 'Da' for 'horse', so it is translated as 'Fengma Qi' ('Feng' and 'Ma' are Mandarin pronunciations for 'wind' and 'horse', 'Qi' means 'flag'). The banners are painted with the Three Jewels of Buddhism, Dharma, and Sangha, which means that they borrow power similar to wind such as running horses to carry scriptures to various places and benefit the local public.

生命的神秘不是等待解决的问题，而是需要体验的现实。
—— 法兰克·赫伯特《沙丘》

 2021年八月的中下旬，刚经历完一次全国多地疫情并发的震荡后，我在四川甘孜藏族自治州丹巴县进行驻留和创作。该地区属于嘉绒藏区，地处山谷之中，四周被四座被当地人尊称为神山的山脉包围，其中一座是比较为人熟知的墨尔多山。在这次驻留期间，除了感受山区特殊的地貌、气候之外，也深切体会到嘉绒藏区的生活方式和民俗文化。

 这次驻留的核心创作方式是田野录音，是将现实存在的声音（或声景）作忠实的记录。在一开始，我也想过多次把录音素材解构、进行二次创作，比如做成音乐、合成新的声音或者做一个与原始采样无关的具有交互性的装置作品。然而在 20 天的驻留生活体会并进行大量的田野录音工作之后，我发现这些原始的、质朴的、不经修饰的声音在当下是如此珍贵，便决定要以最简白的方式呈现这些声景时刻 —— 造物主最无私的馈赠和最无情的凝视。

 我专心地寻找这些声音，并在田野录音的同时用影像同步记录：影片为垂直 16:9 构图使其具有「肖像感」，强调发声物体或声音场景的对象化（Objectified）；声景和影像的构成（Composition）在这次的驻留创作中是被关注的。而声音收录的角度比垂直构图的画面要大得多，因此在观看这些影像的时候听到的，将会远超幕布之外。这块接近 8 米的纱幕和席地而坐的观众之间的高度差，是我（人类）和生养万物的自然、环抱藏寨的一众神山、高耸的嘉绒古碉等之间的关系的延伸。

 与我们相互凝视的，

是山，是塔，是瀑，是河，是镜 ... 是她。

注释【经幡】佛教传入藏地后，经幡与当地原始宗教习合，发展出名为「风马旗」的经幡，藏语称为隆达，「隆」是藏语的「风」，「达」是藏语的「马」，故汉译为「风马旗」。其幡布上绘有驮运佛法僧三宝的马，意思是借由风的力量如同马匹，载运经文送到各地利益众生。