Alterazioni Video / Giovanni De Donà Downbeat | Electronica | Leftfield 2 Items

Unprecedented submolecular laser class 4 electro session, recorded in Physics Dept, Freie Univeristät Berlin, in 2005. The modern photon concept was originated by the work of Albert Einstein at the beginning of XX century, when he elaborated the relativity theory, in 1905. To celebrate the centenary (2005) of that singular event, the AEM - "Casa dell'energia" of Milan - organized the presentation of a dedicated installation and a live performance by the artistic collective Alterazioni Video. To develop this photonic work, they went to the physics laboratory of the Freie Universität in Berlin. Together with Giovanni De Donà, then researcher Markus Gühr (now director at Potsdam University after his experience at Stanford) carried out his research using a class 4 laser. There are various types of lasers and class 4 is one of the most powerful. Certainly not a free sale item. The class 4 is able not only to pierce the retina, but also to break the bond that holds the oxygen molecules together, thus generating flashes of light and powerful micro-couplings with interesting rhythmic flaps. The session involved a certain risk, the atmosphere was naturally electrified, and under the supervision of Markus it was possible to trigger the laser through a drum machine in order to control these bursts and use them as rhythmic units. Improvising a unique session of electro to all effects properly sub molecular, minimal electronic sounds interacted with the rhythms of the matter stimulated by the laser while producing light phenomena. The Waterlaser track in particular was created by concentrating the laser focus on a water surface, and documents the background sound given by the splitting of the molecules of the liquid. This experimentation on the border of art and science goes beyond the reductionism given by the programmed structures of the explosions, and highlights the obscure aspect of indeterminacy revealed by uncontrollable explosions, out of the rhythmic grid and out of every possible control. This took place because of a physical principle that we could touch with our hands, which brought science closer to the aesthetics of magical realism, as we could experience with our eyes and ears: Gdd- Markus, what's going on? There are explosions that I didn't program, that create these syncopated rhythms, as if someone was improvising on the sequence... And it's not me...- MG- It's ... (sneering) a matter of “sympathy”, “vibratory sympathy”. Sometimes, some molecules follows the ones that blows, with no particular apparent reason...- This true Berliner experimental session was recorded with room microphones, and the balance was all in all positive: no one injured, a professional digital camera burned for daring to linger too long in framing the focus of the explosion of molecules. and a recording that is now presented in this record 15 years later. The B side features Chris Mitchell with Bass influenced kinematic interpretation using parts from the session. The recording of the next Milanese public session was lost in the black hole of the RAI archives.

Together with Photons (2005), released as Koo002, Lightwaves completes the investigation of the electro archetype, documenting the Neosurrationalist* bridge between art and science, that began with a dialogue in a Kreuzberg bar involving Giovanni De Donà, Paololuca Barbieri of Alterazioni Video, and physics researcher Markus Gühr, now professor and lead of the Experimental Quantum Physics group at Potsdam University in Berlin. The dissemination given by the current interpretations made by various artists, reveal the possibility of radical vibrant electro made without synthesizers, in spite of Kraftwerk's tradition. To play directly with neonlights instead of singing them, and to amplify even the invisible infrared of a remote control without fearing a T.V.O.D -television overdose-, it meant entering definitively into the new normality of the bruit, the rauschen, the shum, the záyīn, the new “Arte dei rumori” of the electromagnetic noise of the new millennium, revealing both the inaudible of light frequencies and also the invisible through its raw sound and potential for irreverent, chromatically-limited pulsations. The first pocket-sized Chinese solar panels are turned into photomicrophones, and with an inexpensive set-up made of different light bulbs, neon, remote controls, LEDs, and a dimmer, we experienced the zeitgeist by closing a cycle that involved popular culture and contemporary art. Lightwaves was on tour for some years from No Art Gallery and Mediateca Santa Teresa in Milan to MoMa PS1 and Location One in New York, MoCa and Duolun Museum in Shanghai, Ikra club in Moscow, then in other locations as Kunstlerhaus in Stuttgart, Link in Bologna, Flowers in Catania, Acusmatiq 2.0 in Ancona, Mayr 3 in Milano again, and Breakout music festival featuring Steve Piccolo in Genova in 2009.