People need communication. Two years ago, the discussions on this topic would have had a completely different tone, but today we have been replaced by quarantine realities, and we have a completely different attitude to social relations. And what about creativity? Sometimes loneliness is the impetus for the creation of new meanings. But there are also creative duos, where the combination of views, knowledge and skills give birth to an original and very interesting product. An example of this is the tandem of Yuriy Tymoshenko and Tom Konati, residents of SIGMA2021 on the Measurer
About SIGMA2021
SIGMA-2021 are individual residences at the Measurer plant in Zhytomyr, which were organized to promote the art of sound and identify new sound art practices. The former giant of the industry, which made electronic musical instruments, became a platform for research and creative experiments. This year’s residence was named “SIGMA”, i.e. Σ – 18 letters of the Greek alphabet, but absorbs much more meaning. In electronics, sigma-delta is a modulation method that provides digitization of a signal with specified characteristics in the operating frequency band. In mathematics, the capital letter Σ denotes the sum. In the context of the project, SIGMA was to show the total result of the interaction between the residents and the plant. The project was to include experiments with sound, search and discovery of new meanings and the projection of the past plant “Measurer” on the present and future. Four workshops, four presentations and concerts of experimental music became part of the history of the plant as a new space with a great future.
About Tom Konati
Tom Conati, a master of music and media technology, grew up in a family where music was known and loved. In his research, Tom studied the creative practice and concept of media in a modern and experimentally sound framework. As an artist, he also had experience studying interactive technologies, and in 2012 he founded a company called MAKER.IE, where he taught creative technologies to artists and musicians. Tom also created spaces for experimental practice and creative collaboration.
About Yuriy Tymoshenko
Yuri is a musician, artist and author of experimental electronic music and digital visual art. He has studied at the Kyiv-Mohylanskiy Academy and participated in many projects together with the Carbon Community team and individually. The last topic that Yura actively worked on was art with a therapeutic effect.
During the residency, experimental musicians worked on the idea of “Echo Bugs: A Mediation Technology”. The world of Echo Bugs is a sound bug, that allows us to take a new look at the various components of the workflow that musicians and artists work on: repair and modification, structure and accessibility, and more.
About the results
The results of the tandem were several projects, each of which is interesting and special.
“You are bugging me (and I love you for it)” is a project that has a philosophical connotation. It’s about bugs called bugs in computer science. And also it is a project about the second chance, correction, “debugging” of our internal models – experience which allows to make the environment, thoughts, life better. We learn from mistakes, they strengthen us and make us wiser. And then we start appreciating bugs…
The kinetic sculpture “People Who Knew Cars” is a small monument to the workers of the “Measurer” factory. It is an honor of skill and knowledge of people, thanks to which the plant gained its fame. The geometric elements of the sculpture embody the accuracy and concentration of workers, equal rotation adjusts us to the perception of time, determines the value of knowledge and experience, but does not affect the loyalty and reliability of the patriots of the plant. Brass wires symbolize unity and connection with the community. “Sleep Bugs” is not just a selection of integrated circuits from the 1980s to the 2000s. The result of the project is a kind of conservation of data that can actually exist in the same state for more than 100 years. I wonder what those who will ever find them will say?
Another project “I want you to touch me (Jitter Bug)” requires a touch from the audience, and only then the archival LCD screen, spring and welded steel plate will work as a tool. The basis of the aesthetics of the interactive sculpture “Exoskeleton” was the aesthetics of keyboard instruments manufactured at the factory in the 70-80s. Here in the 3D-space is exhibited what is usually invisible and hidden. Yura and Tom were inspired to create the Echo of the Plant project by a punched tape found at the plant, which was used as a medium for digital information. Observations of the algorithms in which the punched tape was involved made it possible to identify patterns somewhat similar to the algorithms of data transmission in modern electronic music. The artists used the opportunity to transcode the received information into music.
About impressions
Tom Konati:
“This is my first residence. I didn’t know what was going to happen here, what to expect, but I tried myself in both artistic practices and electronic music. In the end, I can say that this is a new wonderful experience… There is not much modern in the factory, but there are very interesting things, such as a laser or 3D printer. Most of the plant is historical, and it was interesting to learn how it can be used in the context of modern technology and practice. It turns out that this can be done: there is serious potential and unique things. We may not know what they should do, but the process of learning and applying them can be surprisingly useful, interesting and successful.”
Yuriy Tymoshenko:
“I knew I was going to do technical things here, and we’ll probably understand more about how to make synthesizers. But I didn’t know it would be so cool that I would learn so many things! Now I fully understand how I could make my own synthesizer, I understand much better how different electronic or mechanical devices work… Both residences have gathered interesting and talented people to work on the restoration of the plant. The introduction of processes and practices here, which will lead to the further development of Zhytomyr and the creation of new electronic devices in Ukraine, are extremely important processes. Culturally, it brings together creative people, popularizes Zhytomyr. People are inspired by the aesthetics of the city and the opportunity to work with it and access to unique things that are hard to find.”
About Zhytomyr
Tom Konati:
“This is my first visit to Zhytomyr. You have a beautiful city: streets, places where you can eat well, a beautiful park.”
Yuriy Tymoshenko:
“I liked Zhytomyr. I’ve been here before, but haven’t seen much. This time he looked around. It has a pleasant atmosphere, good people, a lot of comfort and tranquility, and the city is not devoid of life. I want to come back here again. ”
From the editorial office V: UNCASE and SIGMA2021 have been completed, the residents have left, but everyone has taken the creative tandems, acquaintances and spirit of the “Measurer” with them. And this means that the most interesting is ahead!
SIGMA-2021 are individual sound residences in Zhytomyr, organized in partnership with the innovation park “Measuer”, Carbon, Heavy Culture, platform “Island”, plant “Measurer” and with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation to promote the art of sound and identification of new sound art practices.
Curator (s): Oleksandr Khalepa and Oleksandr Guzeev.
