PIA VAN GELDER
/ WORK / CREATIVE WORK:
SOFT SYNTH NO. 2, 2019Interactive installation, exhibited for Materials, Sounds + Black Mountain College, Asheville, NC, USA
Textiles, electronics, speakers
Process detail of Soft Synth No. 2, 2019
An interactive installation utilising custom built synthesisers integrated into an weaving. Constracted with a four shaft table loom, this linear motif is open for viewers to explore haptically, their electrodermal activity producing electrical connections and variations that produce sounds.
The design for this weaving was developed out of a research engagement with the Black Mountain College Museum, searching for commonalities and connections between my work and those artists and designers who were a part of the Black Mountain College’s rich history. The project worked towards a group exhibition of artists from Australia, New Zealand and the United States and was led by curator and researcher Caleb Kelly. In 2018 I was fortunate to travel to Asheville with Kelly and fellow artist Peter Blamey to conduct archival research and visit significant sites in the town including the original campus of Black Mountain College but also Make Noise, a company that produces well loved electronic instruments including modules in my own eurorack synthesiser. At this time I was already deep in my research into the electronic composer and pianist David Tudor, who had been at Black Mountain College himself. I was interested in finding evidence of the ground breaking textiles artist Anni Albers, whose work and teaching was integral to Black Mountain College’s history.
Soft Synth 2 attempts to study the aesthetic devices of Anni Albers’ work while continuing to experiment with e-textiles to integrate synthesis designed for electrodermal activation and modulation. The pattern encourages unpredictable sonic outcomes over a weaving of 80cm x 250cm.
Documentation of installation, 2019