Madeira Projects

A series of performances developed over repeated visits to Madeira since 2013...

The Tremor Arm is a stylus, cartridge and turntable arm which has been turned into a mobile instrument that sonifies texture and motion. The instrument was inspired by moments when the stylus skips from the vinyl and lands in the centre of the record, picking up the texture of the paper label. An accelerometer mounted on the turntable cartridge captures movement data and uses it to modify a network of delays which effect the sound. I used the instrument as part of a live performance in Funchal, Madeira in December 2013, amplifying the sounds of leaves, brick and skin and mixing them with clean and processed field recordings from the island.

Som e Dança, Grutas de São Vicente

A cave is an instrument composed of the reflective environment and the materials inside it. It is also a performative space whose slow actions have been practiced over millions of years. With this conception as a starting point, dancer Elisa Arteta [ES], sound artist Chris Wood [UK] and vocalist Sarah Linhares [CA/PR] explored the caves of São Vicente, Madeira through sound and movement. They prepared a specific performance in response to this volcanic environment using the materials, acoustics and dimensions of the caves.

A collaboration between sound artist Chris Wood, dancer Elisa Arteta and vocalist Sarah Linhares. This performance was a response to the volcanic caves in São Vicente, Madeira, Portugal. We abandoned our initial ideas of using microphones to amplify the materials in the space and decided to activate the cave as an acoustic (spatial and sonic) instrument. This performance was conceived and developed at the Pedra Sina Residence, Funchal, Madeira.

A multichannel sound performance on a concrete platform next to the Atlantic in Funchal, Madeira. The piece takes the themes of transition, movement and becoming. Text by Neja Tomsic. Dance response by Elisa Arteta. This audio recorded on location during the performance. For a version of the piece aimed for headphone listening, visit: https://soundcloud.com/wordthecat/with-your-back-to-the-sea

Some first impressions of Madeira via the Pedra Sina (artists') Residence. Stop frame shot with a D40. f/ Elisa Arteta.