johansons.info

“Concord is a sculptural musical instrument consisting of a number of metal strings of various lengths. The sound of the instrument is created by a network of self-resonating strings arranged in a space. The strain of the strings and the corresponding pitch of sound create a musical succession, the total of which is a harmonious chord.”

Inspired by the work of Pythagoras, who according to legend used a monochord instrument to study acoustics, the piece explores organization of several glowing and resonating metal strings of various lengths (one to seven meters). Strings of heat-resistant alloy are caused to vibrate by putting electronic current through a metal wire and exposed to magnetic field (a method devised by American composer Alvin Lucier). As the frequency of the alternating current coincides with the resonances and overtones of the string, mechanical vibration occurs and a sound is heard. With the increase of current, the wire becomes glowing-hot thus making it emit light and exposing the standing sound waves. The strings are fixed to resonators that amplify and radiate vibrations in space without the use of conventional loudspeakers.

Technical description:
Concord is presented as sculptural structure of square metal resonators of various lengths (1 - 7 meters) supported on solid stands and strung with glowing-hot metal strings. Custom-made composition software creates succession of chords, by commuting combinations of tones to activate individual strings. The installation is variable in size; new arrangement of resonators is designed for every space.

Technical specification is available here
Voldemars Johansons 2010

I have been nominated for the WORKSPACE 09 Prize to realize a project at Zaal5 in Filmhuis Den Haag! The other four nominees are: Rachida Ziani & Dewi de Vree, Marieke Verbiesen en Neeltje Sprengers, Daniëlle van Vree, Benjamin Crotty. http://www.workspace08.nl/

April 9 saw the premiere performance of “1906″, a play by Inga Rozentāle staged by Gatis Šmits at the national theatre in Riga. I had the honour to participate in production as music director. Stage design by Mārtiņš Vilkārsis, costume design by Keita,  light design by Igors Kapustins. More info at the theatre site.

Preview at K.Māksla galllery, Liepāja

“The visible light is only a small part of the electromagnetic radiation observed in nature. Depending on the wavelength, different types of radiation have different properties. Within the “optical window” – visible spectrum of light - the wavelengths in the range of 380 to 750 nm are interpreted as colours by the human eye, covering the spectrum of a rainbow, from violet to dark-red.

The eye’s sensitivity to a specific part of the spectrum grants us a glance in the obscure world of immense physical phenomenon of electromagnetic radiation, otherwise hidden to human senses. In fact, the visible light is an illusion, a “rainbow in the realm of darkness” that doesn’t exist as a separate event. What is there is a flow of electromagnetic energy, and the eye’s sensitivity to a part of it’s spectrum permits perception of the information that it caries, facilitating the association between living beings and the world.”

On May 29th opens the “Homo Urbanus” sculpture exhibition in Amsterdam’s Westergasfabriek. Artists and works: AIGARS BIKSE- Sculpture “Choice of Idealist”, ERIKS BOZIS- Installation “Through Your Canals”, ASNATE BOCKIS- Sculpture “I am at Home”, KRISTAPS GULBIS- Object “ Mobile City Case”, KRISTAPS GELZIS & VOLDEMARS JOHANSONS- Interactive sculpture “ Let’s Keep in Touch”, LAURA FELDBERGA- Installation “Reading Room”, KIRILS PANTELEJEVS- Sculpture  “ The Buddha of Suburbia”, UGIS TRAUMANIS- Sculpture group “Constructions I – IV”. More info here and here.

Aero Torrents will be shown at Waves - The Art of the Electromagnetic Society, HMKV in der PHOENIX Halle, 10. May – 29. June 2008, Opening: Fr, 9. May 2008, 19:00.

“Room 2/1″ from DAS EIS series is included in the compilation “UN/TYPICAL” curated by Arturas Bumsteinas and will be released by Lithuanian art magazine CAC INTERVIEW. A short excerpt here:

“Release of CD compilation dedicated to the music of one particular region which is hard to define.
This CD will be released and distributed together with the SMC INTERVIU magazine which is
(this time) dedicated to the theme of sound art. The compilation was curated by Arturas Bumsteinas
and the lineup includes: Anton Nikkilä & Alexei Borisov, Vytautas V. Jurgutis, Antanas Jasenka,
Gys & Gintas K, Critikal, Quartet Twentytwentyone, Phonos ek Mechanes, Orlandas Naru˚is,
Zenial, Seventeen Migs of Spring, Voldemars Johansons, Lys, Vladislav Buben, Anna Zaradny,
Violet, Andres Lõo.”

I’ve aded the photos of the first AERO TORRENTS installation at SKAN festival in October. The next exhibitions will take place in K@2 in Liepaja (December) and Museum of Nature in Riga (February). Thanks to Kristaps Kalns (Diena) for wonderfull photos!