and

sonic sculpture / performance

2019
Flaneur Festival
House of the World’s Cultures, Berlin

AND is an interactive sonic sculpture and a music performance by ILYICH, a space traveler of an ambiguous origin.

The work invokes an atmosphere of a night club and wonders how electronic music can transport complex and dynamic content that can be easily accessed and shared with others?

AND is a neon light installation inspired by Paddy Ladd, a renowned deaf scholar, author, activist, and researcher of deaf culture. This Cyrillic sign language letter “И” — translating as “And” — roots in a critique of oralism, highlighting a rich linguistic environment and inviting hearing audiences to learn from Deaf culture.

Emphasising the distinction between biocentric phenomena of hearing and extended listening practices, the work invites hearing audiences to learn to listen to and to learn listening from Deaf communities.

The work is inspired by the vision of breaking down the stigma surrounding deafness, bridging the linguistic divide and promoting the inclusion of sign language in educational systems. Ultimately, it serves to illuminate the ignorance of the oralist-centred society that overhears the wisdom within Deaf communities and their role in enriching collective cultural narrative.

Oscillating between recognisable electronic music and abstract sonic improvisation ILYICH’s performance amplified the space intertwining complex narratives of migration and listening with thought-free presence and dancing.

Many thanks to Flaneur Magazine, Musikfonds, Gregor Hotz, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Aiko Okamoto.

Photo credits: Daria Zorkina

Further Links:
Flaneur Magazine
Flaneur Festival at the House of the World’s Cultures
House of the World’s Cultures

The project is produced by: