Staalplaat soundsystem was at the Second Khoj International Artists’ Association International Sonic Art Residency from Nov-10th – Dec 21st 2008. Participants were Geert-Jan Hobijn Andrej Hrvatin (founder of Satoration), Kiran Subbaiah and Navin Thomas. To examine sound as a form of experimentation in between artistic and scientific exploration. Taking our past experiences with the genre a step further, this residency was beyond simple software generated sound to include kinetics, performance and prosthetic devices that transform sound and light.
At the 5 week residentie each of us has a studio to work and we have a house we all live in. The house is basic, mattress on the floor (I am a bit to old for that?) and you must switch the geyser of after using for it might overheat (and explode). I got myself a bed. It seems that Khoj does several project but I do not really know much about them. The house were we work in is in a rather poor aria of new Delhi and there is a family that lives in the same building. In Cairo it was the same, but there they were more neighbors. Here we share the building with them ore, in a way, we are their guests. It gives a nice informal feeling when a 3 year old boy comes in your studio waves and say “hello” then you have to shake hands. They bring tee and clean up, make sure nothing is stolen, like I said very nice. I have done some residencies but still have the feeling I do not understand the principle, I wonder why I am there and what is expected of me. I am tolled that the result is not so important, but for me it is very important, that is what I do. They want more a sort of exchange, I think. In Cairo that worked well, actually that is still developing, maybe here something similar will happen, in a different way. Until then I just work and enjoy the city, it is loud, dirty, chaotic.
There is info on khojworkshop.org and Khoj Youtube on our work too
