THE ISLAND

concert, 2020

WRO Art Center / August 7, 9:00 PM

A sensorial, associative and electrifying experience, inspired by a number of stories of islands and valleys destined to be submerged by the construction of a hydroelectric dam, causing deep human and geographic upheaval. The immersions of Naussac in Lozère (a village engulfed in 1980), the novel “Farewell, Little Island” by Valentin Raspoutine, or the 3 Gorges dam in China (which is so big it influenced the speed of rotation of Planet Earth) spring to mind. ’The Island’ questions the replacement of one world by another and our blind belief in progress. A phantasmagorical universe unfolds through incisive electronic music and reality-bending video images, resulting in a “mental journey” through a topography of mutating places. The audiovisual concert ‘The Island’ is the most recent collaboration between composer Franck Vigroux and video artist Kurt d’Haeseleer. A prolix duo who endeavor to find common modes of artistic language and try to invent synesthetic experiences with an identity of their own.

Production: Cie d’autres cordes with the support of ADAMI, SPEDIDAM, Occitanie DRAC & Council

Kurt d’Haeseleer (BE), Franck Vigroux (FR)

D’ Haeseleer’s work focuses on the visualisation of the dynamic of information. He translates the all-encompassing presence of media into meta-images. Media presence is symbolized through layers of sticky pixel-textures, noise and interactivity. Special effects play an important role in his work that can best be described as a ‘pixel drama’ or ‘pixel soap’ and which can be found in the border zone between painting, video clips, cinema and performance. In his work the special effect is the message. He also works regularly as a videodesigner for theatre, dance and opera, and also makes his own audiovisual performances. He worked amongst others with Guy Cassiers, Music Lod, Georges Aperghis, Transparent, Isabella Soupart, Jon Hassell, Franck Vigroux, Ictus, Ief Spincemaille, Peter Verhelst, Köhn… He is the artistic director of the Werktank, a production platform for media art. Its main mission is the production and distribution of installation art that explores the relationship between technology and perception.

French musician/composer Franck Vigroux is a multifaceted artist whose works range from electroacoustic and experimental electronic music to modern composition, improvisation, radio works, avant rock, and beyond. Primarily known as a guitar player, he also manipulates electronics and turntables, and has composed works for contemporary classical ensembles. He is equally prolific as a solo artist and as a collaborator, and has worked with Elliott Sharp, Zeena Parkins, Mika Vainio, Reinhold Friedl (Zeitkratzer), and numerous others. Franck Vigroux ‘s music is made of tectonic tensions, beats, electronic textures and a very personal approach to sonic exploration. Vigroux’s uniqueness comes from his artistic approach that integrates new media and performing arts. He designs transdisciplinary shows and audiovisual concerts, collaborating with visual artists such as Antoine Schmitt and Kurt d’Haeseleer.