Editorial

KorSonoR, a biennial exhibition-festival dedicated to sound and visual arts, explores sound in our environment, whether physical, social, technological, architectural or natural. What we refer to as sound is very broad: vocal, instrumental, electronic, field recordings, spatial resonance, sound archives, etc. Sound is omnipresent and has emotional, documentary, memorial, sociocultural, political and creative significance. Sound requires listening and attention, which help us to understand people, things and situations, and stimulate the imagination. Sound implies duration, which allows us to take a step back, both towards personal introspection and an understanding of the world.

KorSonoR is particularly inspired by the figure and work of Max Neuhaus, the “father” of sound installation, who designed three works for Geneva, including one of the few permanent installations in public space, Promenade du pin (2002). This presence connects the global history of sound art with the Geneva art scene. KorSonoR also invokes the notion of “deep listening”, which aims to differentiate between what is heard and what is listened to, as highlighted by composer Pauline Oliveros, to whom a neon work by visual artist Émilie Ding pays tribute on a building façade in Plainpalais.

In 2023, the first edition of KorSonoR established itself in the Geneva and Swiss artistic ecosystem through its original positioning and complementarity with existing offerings, as well as through the organisation of a symposium on sound arts in Switzerland, which brought together some twenty organisations active in this field. The event also attracted international attention.

The second edition of KorSonoR offers concert performances, installations, sculptures, videos, films, residencies, discussions and collaborative projects. This dossier presents 17 artists, duos or collectives – representing around 80 participants – with very diverse backgrounds, from 13 countries of origin and aged between 30 and 87. It is being rolled out in Geneva through collaborations with 17 partners (multipurpose venues, iconic architecture, museums, gardens, theatres, residences, cinemas, higher education institutions, labels and artistic organisers).

The programme begins with two preambles in August, each set in a context that determines the direction of the works. The relationship between sound and architecture is explored through a sound activation at the Pavillon Sicli, and the relationship between sound and nature is experimented with at the Conservatoire et Jardin botanique de Genève. A satellite project is presented in Venice.

Several new productions are worth noting: a specific sonic activation for the Sicli Pavilion by the Berlin duo LABOUR; creations by Robin Meier Wiratunga and Julie Semoroz for the Serre tempérée du Jardin Botanique; two new projects by South African artist James Webb for the Museum of Art and History and Lake Geneva; the first “complete” performance of Multiverse of a Birdcage by Alexandre Joly and Daniel Zea, with four artist residencies culminating in concerts; Nine artists proposed by Bongo Joe and the HEM for live sets in Dimitri de Perrot’s installation; a new collaboration between the Danish collective Valby Vokalgruppe and visual artist Francis Baudevin, supported by Ensemble Vide; a new film box by Marie Losier; Matthieu Baumann’s first work. Among others…

The proposals at the Pavillon Sicli and the Botanical Gardens will be introduced by the artists and the curator, followed by discussions with the public. Where possible, all performances will also be accompanied by discussions. A public round table discussion with a dozen artists from KorSonoR will take place at Le Commun on Thursday 23 October from 2pm to 5pm. Arta Sperto wishes to encourage these moments of exchange between artists, organisers and the public. At the same time, numerous mediation activities will be offered for different types of audiences throughout the exhibition-festival.

Olivier Kaeser, curator of KorSonoR