Materiaal Series, Vol. 055

Recording of the third session together with artist Wolfgang Spahn and his large, self-built modular system in Wolfgang’s studio in the Gerichtshöfe, January 29, 2022; Wedding district in Berlin.

This release is themed op-art, as Christine Kriegerowski has contributed her takes on Vasarely’s “Reech”.

Wolfgang Spahn is an Austrian-German visual artist based in Berlin. His work includes interactive installations and performances of light & sound. His art explores the field of analogue and digital media and focuses on both their contradiction and their correlation. That’s why he is also specialized in re-appropriated and re-purposed electronic technologies.

For his creations he explores the abilities of hardware, constantly pushing its limitations in order to make it serve his artistic concept. Recently he developed analogue synthesizers as well as analogue computers and analog neuron networks and uses them to create abstract light-and-sound-sculptures.

wolfgang-spahn.de

credits

Bernhard Wöstheinrich: Keyboards and virtual synthesizers, Live-Sequencing
Wolfgang Spahn: self-built analog synthesizers and neuron networks
Volker Lankow: drones and samples

Mastering: Markus Reuter

Artwork: Christine Kriegerowski (kriegerowski.org)

Materiaal Series, Vol. 054

On April 15, 2022, Bernhard and Wolfgang Seidel met for a recording session in Wolfgang’s studio that is situated in a former printing press manufacturing plant in Berlin’s Wedding district.

Wolfgang’s studio is not only equipped with a wide range of electronic musical instruments, but also various acoustic percussion instruments and all kinds of sound sources are ready miked and prepared for recordings at any time. And so, the recording session took place in a very focussed mood, and it then resulted into something that has quite a narrational and heteromorphic flow.

The recordings were mixed by Wolfgang. For the second piece he later overdubbed additional drums. Also, the length of the two tracks is intentionally set to suggest a vinyl release.

Christine Kriegerowski depicted the musicians as stylites or pillar-saints. Stylites are a type of Christian ascetic who lives on pillars, they believe that the mortification of their bodies would help ensure the salvation of their souls.
This image of the two musicians as pillar-saints is of course not without self-irony and alludes to how much musicians of this genre are on a lost cause.

credits

Bernhard Wöstheinrich: Keyboards and Electronics
Wolgang Seidel: Buchla Music Easel, EMS VCS 3, electronics, drums and percussions

Mixing and editing: Wolfgang Seidel

Mastering: Markus Reuter

Artwork: Christine Kriegerowski (kriegerowski.org)