MontorfanoArdittoDuo

The speaking house

pieces-installations for flute, electronics and slide projectors

Concept and composition: Cecilia Arditto
Flute and objects: Adriana Montorfano
Guest photographer: Daniel Nicolas.

I. The window
II. The columns
III. The cupboard
IV. The wall: patterns
V. The cables: electricity

The philosopher Gaston Bachelard defines the concept of house like an intimate space, which has little to do with geometry or architecture. Instead of the room embracing the person who dwells inside, in “The speaking house” is the music who embraces the house from the inside out.

A collection of over 32 identical slide projectors from 40s are connected via an interface to a computer that controls them. The name of this new artifact is 1000 eyes. The warmness of the vintage origonal valve-lamps is powered by the precise digital manipulation. The analogue-digital combination makes possible to create precise features, like extremely slow intensity-fades or incredible fast patterns with analog lamps.
The slide projectors spread the images all over the space, converting walls, stairs, ceiling and columns in 3d screens, powering the architecture of the space.

The slide projectors project lines and dots in black and white like a prolongation of the music score. These lines gain the walls and space around creating a 3D music score. The slide-projectors are also part of the composition. It is beautiful to see this “flock of machines” in action, turning on and off, fading, opening and closing their eyes.

Flute an electronics dialoge with the minimal patterns projected by the projectors. The rhythm of the lamps, as well as its stilness, brigs a musical condition to the room.

The flutist with her minimal movements add a choreographic aspect to the scene. The players becomes both a character in the compositon and a moving screen interracting with the space and the lamps.

These pieces where created “in situ” during our Konvent residence in Berga, Brcelona 29 July- 11 2019. We will be happy to bring our pieces into different spaces which brings new architectural and acoustic challenges.

LINK TO COMPLETE VIDEO “The speaking house”

Techs

• Enttec light interface (projectors)
• Mini 25-note midi keyboard
• Mini DMX light console with 3pin DMX input
• 8-channel Focusrite audio interface
• 2 small speakers + buffer connected to the computer
• 4 digital 4-channel dimmer-pack
• 8 Mic stands with 3/8 (without microphone holder)
• 1 keyboard stand
• 1 computer + keyboard stand
• 8 3-pin DMX microphone cables
• 8 Cables-extensions for electricity
• 3 music stand with lights

No technicians needed. We only need a plug to connect our equipment. But if the space is very big, a sound technician and a simple amplification system is needed.

After-concert workshops with the audience are possible (and encourage!).