o r o g e n e t i c s

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ part one

Starting august 24th, 2009 – I have begun a residency with Hitoshi Kojo and our KODAMA project at APPLEBOOOM in La Pommerie, France. This hamlet has a summer population of 10 and a permanent population of 2. We will be here until our final presentation which is October 3rd.

As it is approaching the half-way point of the residency and we have decided to include this report about what we have done so far.

The project began as an exploration of the concept of ‘phytoncide‘ where we intended to interact with natural locations around the residency center – passively (with field recordings) and actively (with actions producing sounds with found objects as well with instruments and devices which we bring with us to locations).

For the past 18 days we have done various walks including such actions. During these walks we have also taken photographs, made observations of mushrooms, and began making kodama music during these ‘strolls’.

(We have eaten a few blackberries along the way, too)

During these past two and a half weeks the concept of our work here has transformed many times. As we begin to observe what is here and observe our personal impressions during the time. Hence, there has been many ‘sproutings’ of titles, projects, and new directions. So far – quite productive!

One main work that is germinating is currently being called ‘the strolling stutter’ – this is a culmination of many of the improvised sound sessions done on our walks so far.

An interesting aspect so far has been the fair bit of humor mixed into the recordings, sessions and walks – you can note that a bit in the images – as well in the recordings – which you will find through out this report.
(I advise playing more than one at once to get interesting mixes)

Below I will describe some of the key events with photos and sounds from along this ‘stuttering stroll’. . .

an overview of our walks around La Pommerie…

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I arrived a few days before Hitoshi ‘Koz’ – upon arrival I was delighted (and a bit overwhelmed) to be invited to a village dinner – there I met the dancers that were currently working in the space, Vanessa La Mat & Katia Feltrin, the next day I made photos of the topographical survey maps that surrounded La Pommerie, and digitized them. Using this I began a layered photoshop file to record each of our wanderings. I made a head start and took off towards a lake I saw on the map to the north:

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The next day I had a visit of Benjamin Aman and Marion Auburtin – we explored the planted pine forest above La Pommerie (soon to be favorite recording location for KODAMA). Also we passed through Feyssac which is the village below La Pommerie.  During Sunrise I sat in a field and got glimpse of the first beams of light.

Benjamin and Marion took me to Limoges the next day where I met with Cedric Peyronnet (after 10 years almost to the day!) and his beautiful family – Tham, Anna and the new baby girl. We awaited the arrival of Koz.

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Koz arrived in Limoges and we bought the final supplies for our project. Cedric drove us back out to La Pommerie. The next day – August 26th – was the first official day of our KODAMA project.

We promptly explored a couple locations that were to prove fruitful. Above in the planted pine forest, we made our first session between the pines. Using amplified shakuhachi, broken sticks, and voice we explore the natural resonance of this location – and upon finding a curious piece of wood, we entitled the session ‘sacred bends’.

Later we explored below Feyssac and found an area along the small stream (hear called Feyssac, after the hamlet above, but only 1km further it changes name to Malepouge). We found a pasture with horses and then exloring along the stream, a small wooden bridge. Here we made another session bowing the wood of the bridge, and using cassette players to replicate the bowing. Further along on the other side of the stream we found a small building, there behind was a strange duct under the wall. Koz promptly used this area as a kind of resonator and I played a fallen tree further away. We occasionally made vocalizations and then Koz started rolling a huge rock along the duct – he called this session ‘moss scraper’.

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On the second day – we explored to the Northeast and found an old machine there. Each day – we also worked on elements of improvisation – ideas of music – tuning and etc. These days, Vanessa and Katia were working in the main space and the organizers of Appelboom were preparing for their Ecology & Art Colloque which was approaching.

The third day we took off downhill to the same stream we had been at a couple days before. Here the stream changes name and become the Malepouge. Koz and I both made recordings at different parts along the stream and enjoyed the day moon and slowly fading sunlight at this beautiful place. Later we connected contact mics on two fallen trees and improvised by touching and bowing different parts along the trunk.

In the afternoon of the third day we had a chance to begin setting up for our performance during the Ecology & Art event. After having set up we made a quick improvisation with Vanessa while Katia made a vice document and some photos.

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The next days we took part in the ‘ECOLOGIE : ART, PHILOSOPHIE, TERRITOIRE‘ event that took place both on saturday at La Pommerie and later at the Centre International d’Arte & du Paysage on the island on the artificial lake of Vassivière. Afterwards we went of to explore a corner of the lake with Appelboom’s director Pierre Redon.

Saturday night, August 29th – we made our first KODAMA performance for this residency. The people from the Colloque seemed to enjoy what we created and asked for a second set. After we enjoyed a typical French celebration!

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After the event and when everyone left, Koz and I began to consider our situation. We had more than a month ahead of us and much uncharted micro-territory around. We began a natural pattern of walks every other day. Each walk, we would individually decide what equipment we would bring with. Every time another direction would be chosen. For the next walk we decided to go through the planted Pine forest and see what was on the other side.

On the 6th day – we ended up finding an old feeding machine – around this we placed mics and improvised by touching, vocalizations, and using my looping cassette machine. The wind would occasionally catch leaves that were near the mics. The recording from this place below the hamlet of Sounaleix was exceptional in it’s simplicity. Koz named the session ‘Feeding Rena’ after an excerpted photo of the company logo on the feeding machine.

The 8th day – we went back to the planted pine forest which is labeled here ‘Puy Lepine’ and recorded a session that was called ‘cryptomeria souffle’ on this windy day. The next day we stayed home and I experimented making a blackberry-pear tart.

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Now the moon was getting full. I moved my sleeping arrangement outside in the neighbor, Magda’s, back field – just next to old oak trees but remaining under the sky.
magda's_backyard.mp3

On the 10th day we headed north through uncharted territory and off the path. It was a lucky day, finding over 10 Clathrus Archeri or ‘Devil’s Fingers’ mushrooms. A species, apparently, indigenous to southeast Asia and Australia – somehow ending up in central france. Apparently it was spread by spores in wool imported from Asia!

During this walk we harvested a couple nice walking sticks from Rowan wood. And proceeded to record a couple ‘Devil Finger’ sessions with drum, voice, shakuhachi, bells and seedpods in a nice secluded area. During this trip we aquired a new friend, Bimbo, the dog from a neighboring village ‘Chasseline’ who began to follow us through many of our subsequent walks.

That night we contemplated our recording of fried meat (we tried some odd roast of rib) as well took stock of our collection of Chanterelle mushrooms we found on the walk.

When not out on the walks we were testing different mixing situations, performance setups, and techniques of developing ideas for recordings – but multitracking and setting up different listening situations. We also began making visual representations of impressions we were dealing with. Koz kept making notes on a huge map on the wall (more images of that in part ii) and we started some graphical elements with india ink, staining, and automatic writing with calligraphic brushes. I made another attempt at making homemade ‘pate brisé’ and made another tart with the plentiful blackberries, as well a quiche with the Chanterelles plus a little cinnamon snack.

Later in the evening – I went out to make a solo session on the old table under the oak tree. Using only bowed rods and stereo battery driven delays. After, I found a small millipede that seemed to be unphased by the sounds I was creating.

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Day 12, we set out to try to explore a way along the Malepouge. Koz already sensed something wrong about the trip from the beginning. We ended up working our way deep into a bog and getting lost in a difficult terrain. Eventually getting out of the bog, we found ourselves in an area with a great echo across to the hills on the other side. After recording a bit with the bent harmonic flute and shakuhachi, I explored area along the Malepouge and found an old broken Mill. Koz returned to La Pommerie from the north side and I crossed over and found myself in a yet deeper bog. I decided to plough through and ended up along the main road and walked along the road.

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A couple days later we decided to go back up the main road I returned from the bogs on. This lead to much higher ground and a very nice discovery of some interesting remote homes and a small pond. We made a session with dried pine cones – and later – with ‘bimbo’ following us and splashing in the water. We made a session along a drainage pipe between the pond and a small brook – we called this session ‘Pêche Interdite’ as it was apparently a private pond. After we walked back in twilight and caught glimpse of an amazing sunset through the hightension lines that cut across behind La Pommerie.
peche_interdite.mp3

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On the 16th day – I headed out relatively early towards the southwest. Bimbo followed along, and I found a nice path along forests and pasture lands. I played my shakuhachi as I walked nearly the entire path and made binaural recordings in four different contexts of my walk.
shaku-forestpath-day16.mp3
The next day, Koz and I headed in a way intended to connect different paths we have taken together, by crossing through the terrain. We headed through the Puy Lepine crossing down to a humid zone near a water source. Finding a long tunnel under the mainroad, we spontaneously made the plan to improvise from either side of the tunnel, I volunteered to make the direct crossing up and over the main road, no easy task as it was thick blackberry bramble on both sides. I fought my way through and made it in time for a spirited play of feedback, waterfall, vocalizations, and delayed flute. Koz ended up getting a leach because of entering the tunnel bare foot with his microphones.

After we head towards the lake I had found on my first day here. We spent some time there before then heading to cross over to another trail. We found ourselves headed directly into some nasty bogs. So retreating we followed a path along a hillside and cutting back towards a hidden homestead. Eventually finding the path we were looking for.

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This concludes PART ONE of the KODAMA @ La Pommerie location report…

SOON sounds added throughout this page.

As well more images from Koz and some details of his hand drawn diary and map.

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