YOKOMONO – the Mono Erosive Surround Sound Installation with Pedro Bericat was a part of “format5 – signaturen elektronischer klangkunst” In the singuhr sound gallery in Berlins parochial church (21/05 – 01/06/2001). The singuhr is located next to the ‘Alexanderplatz Funkturm’, a large radio and TV tower in central Berlin. Listening to radio very close to this tower is full of surprise programs because of the large amount of interference between competing radio signals.The effect is most pronounced when one drives in a car close to the tower, passing quickly in and out of different radio programs. This provided the inspiration for the installation. “Yokomono” basic working materials were movement, distortion, and decay of sound. It used eight small radio transmitters broadcasting locally to a sound system of 45 radio sets placed inside the space. Some of the radios were placed on two moving model trains, resulting in a three-dimensional, architectural sound installation. The sound material used came from dubplate leftovers, test records made of very soft vinyl, which lose quality each time they are played.These dubplates were played by Vinyl killers (plastic toy record players in the shape of a Volkswagen) whose sound was radio-broadcast in the space and then received by the radio sets. At the opening of the installation Pedro Bericat treated the radios, using neon light to distort their sound, chemicals to make them deteriorate, and in the end baking them over a camping stove.
Geert-Jan Hobijn (NL), Pedro Berikat (E), Carsten Stabenow (D)
produced for “format5 – signaturen elektronischer klangkunst” In the singuhr sound gallery in Berlins parochial church, curated by Carsten Seiffarth