the audio-visual media

Improvisation with one desk and two poetry books

picture by Ivan Peykov

The latest performance by Runabout project is called “The DNA of Words”. For this performance Albena Baeva collaborated with writer Ivanka Mogilska and created an instrument that would allow them to play poetry books. This is the latest instrument in the Runabout series and is still a prototype, made from existing controllers, musical instruments and a Puredata patch.

Concept
We live in a time when we have ever-increasing possibilities to talk, but ever decreasing chances to have a conversation. Poetry is usually presented in the form of a book, where words are kept locked between the covers. Poetry needs to be told with other means as well. In “The DNA of Words”, words from the poetry are recorded and modulated in real-time, turning them into a sonic accompaniment that forms its own story. Sounds are recorded in loops from which they, regardless of the modifications they undergo, cannot escape. The same is true for the stories we tell — no matter what we do, we are trapped in the relentless cycle of time. We improvise with time in real-time, without pre-recorded materials. We know what the story is, but we don’t know yet how we will tell it this time. We let the words and sounds flow. And this is how we created an instrument for playing one desk and two poetry books — “DNA” and “In Other Words” by Ivanka Mogilska.

More pictures of the project you can find on our facebook page
Video on vimeo
Video from DA fest live stream

The performance was presented at:

Cinema “Vlaikova”, live on Alrama Punk Jazz on radio “Hristo Botev” BNR on December 16 2011, Sofia

The Fridge on June 17 2011, Sofia