sonic activation, villa aurora | 2022
Villa Aurora, Los Angeles

sonic activation, villa aurora was conceived for the occasion of LABOUR’s fellowship at the eponymous artist residency, and continues their exploration of acoustic space as a potentially radical gesture: through a series of playful spatial arrangements, LABOUR invite the listener into acoustic space through a sequence of sonic activations that highlight the localisation of sound and its complex interaction with space. Set in the former residence of German exiles Lion and Marta Feuchtwanger in the Pacific Palisades, the sounds themselves create a sense of dialogue between both human and non-human agents – through digital sound synthesis using psychoacoustics and algorithmic compositional processes, the unique in-house pipe organ and two grand pianos, acoustic percussion, and acoustic kamancheh performed live – as the audience moves through the building and its grounds, guided by sound.

sonic activation, villa aurora by LABOUR | video shot and edited by Boris Schaarschmidt

concept, direction & music: LABOUR is Farahnaz Hatam and Colin Hacklander
performance: Niloufar Shiri on kamanche, and Anne Sophie Richter on shaker and automobile
camera: Boris Schaarschmidt & Alex Flanagan
drone & gimbal: Alex Flanagan
sound recordist: Jeff Palmer
video editing: Boris Schaarschmidt
special thanks to: Villa Aurora, Dr. Claudia Gordon, Friedel Schmoranzer

Filmed at Villa Aurora, Los Angeles in Feb 2022.

‹‹ Eventide by LABOUR & Fa’ Pawaka Talisman by GmbH AW Music by LABOUR ››