Lolo & Sosaku IN RESiDENCE at the School Milà i Fontanals

An introduction to the artists and their field of work

Lolo and Sosaku proposed a project based on experimenting with sound. At the first sessions, the group explored the sound possibilities in their nearest environment, beginning with their own bodies, objects and furniture at the school. They used contact microphones and mixing desks to explore the creative potential of such elements.

Building contact microphones

To enable the pupils to have their own tools to work with, they build contact microphones. As part of this process, they learn to solder and to understand how a microphone of this type works. They now begin to use their contact microphones in “sonic exploration”.

Experimenting with sound and contact microphones

One of the most important facets of the work was that of constructing mechanisms; their motion, friction or vibration create sounds that are captured by contact microphones. This will be a key element in the design of the sound structures that will be made later. Several sessions are devoted to thinking up mechanisms and actions that generate sounds. Each pupil thinks of one and draws a schematic diagram for its. They then put them all together and put them into practice.

The voice: sessions in the school auditorium

The voice, the words, volume, song... the group also works on these concepts, related to sound. A series of experimental exercises take place in the school theatre and, later, in other locations at the school using different materials (basketballs, table tennis balls, etc.). The possibility is discussed of including these recorded sounds on a sound art work of some kind, and they are conserved for later use.

First constructions: “crickets”

The work with sound is linked once more to the construction of mechanisms that generate sounds. The artists propose a very simple way of making a pendulum which strikes a stick while plucking a nylon string. The results are what the pupils call "crickets" (due to the sound and rhythms they make), structures that can be made individually. In this way, the artists introduce drawing as a way of expressing and explaining an idea, along with the use of tools (drill, hammer, hot glue gun and so on).

Making an orchestra of crickets play

After building the crickets, the group involves them in several sound performances. In this way, the pupils work with sound from a more performative and less “mechanical” way in order to decide how the final piece should be performed, whether the pupils or the piece itself that should generate the movement to make it produce sound.

Sound installations: the Eufònic festival at Arts Santa Mònica

A visit is organised to Arts Santa Mònica, as the centre is hosting the Eufònic festival, which features several sound art creations. This enables the pupils to discover different formats for installations in which sound is the main element. After this visit, the group starts to decide what form the final piece should take.

Outing to Vallvidrera. Sound recordings

An outing is organised to Vallvidrera to record more varied sounds. The pupils record the sounds of leaves, water, various animals, the friction between two tree trunks and so on. At the end of the day, they have generated a archive of sounds that they will later organise and name ready for use in composing their own work.

FUR VOICE

Mixing and remixing: the group composes its own work 

They begin the task of composing their own sound piece in cooperation with David Gracia, Fur Voice, a regular collaborator of Lolo and Sosaku. This artist works by composing based for songs by mixing and remixing recorded sounds (which he takes both from his surroundings and the structures created by Lolo and Sosaku) after which he adds his own voice. Working in the same way, he generates the base by selecting, organising and remixing the pre-recorded sounds, over which he then adds the pupils' voices.

https://soundcloud.com/en-resid-ncia/tema_institut-mila-i-fontanals_furvoice

Enrique Doza

Concept and design of a “great sound machine”

Once the sound piece has been produced, the process focuses on designing the sound installation. Different elements for the mechanism are designed, all of which will be made to play together. The group works plans previously drawn up to build the installation, this time in cooperation with another regular collaborator of Lolo and Sosaku: Enrique Doza.

Construction

The final stage of the residency is devoted to completing the construction of the different pieces and assembling the mechanisms that will drive them: revolving motors mounted on wooden arms to strike and rub the strings in the different structures.

Presentation of the work at the Convent de Sant Agustí

The final presentation of the piece takes place in the main hall at the Convent de Sant Agustí art centre. The pupils built the installation, while Lolo and Sosaku created the sound environment. The participating pupils explain the creative process and present the structure. The presentation is attended by their schoolmates and families, as well as teachers from the school and people linked to the world of culture.