The Sound Festival has been so far an interesting ensemble of unique styles and genres of music from all over the world, bringing once again the magic of this festival to Aberdeen.
On October 21st, Seventeen Gallery (Belmont Street, Aberdeen) offered a preview of Collide, Collude, Collaborate, an exhibition which aim is to create a harmonic merge of visual and acoustic arts.
“What happens when a sound artist and a visual artist come together to create an installation?” was the main concept of the exhibition, which Matthew Whiteside, Dominika Mayovich, Gemma McGregor, Craig Ellis, Kaitlyn Dunsmore and Shaun Stables worked on in pairs to create a multi-dimensional art piece.
Two World`s Collide, Mayovich and Whiteside’s show, was the first in a path which extended throughout the whole floor of the gallery and led from one show to another.
Here, Mayovich’s artworks were shown individually and accompanied by a distinct sound, selected by the two artists to further enhance the experience. The bright and lively colours of Mayovich’s portraits gave the artworks an interesting depth, as the artist herself suggests how art allows her to express feelings and emotions that would not otherwise be visable in everyday life.
The acoustics were curated by Whiteside, composer, whose music is an interesting mash of the classical genre with a definite electronic twist, which derives from his passion for classical music coupled with an interest for rock and metal sounds. He is the co-founder (along with Timothy Cooper) of Edit-point, a project aimed at making this kind of music more available on the market.
Moving along the exhibition, McGregor and Ellis’s show - The Fabian Strategy - explored the meanings and links between the concepts of time, distance, territory and imperfection. The project was very interesting and unique, making use of creative ways to turn the different concepts into a singularity for the viewers.
The last show - Bon Accord - showcased the works of two current RGU and AU students - Kaitlyn Dunsmore and Shaun Stables - the youngest artists to be contributing to the exhibition. The goal was to explore the different layers that characterise the city of Aberdeen by merging them into a single element. Dunsmore - current student at Gray’s School of Art, a department of RGU - created small art pieces that she believed encapsulated the essence of Aberdeen. Coming from Glasgow, a far bigger city, she explained how moving to Aberdeen surprised her, as everything was suddenly quieter, greener, different. She tried to express this feeling through her artworks, each of which was accompanied by a set of headphones streaming Stables’ own music.
This exhibition was particularly well done - perhaps because, who better to describe the essence of a city than the younger generations actively living it?
The music was definitely fitting, it being a personal take of the current electronic music scene which is an appreciable presence in Aberdeen. It was particularly suited for the art pieces and altogether gave a unique vibe to the whole show.
Though quite small, this exhibition is definitely interesting and worth seeing, showcasing very dif-ferent projects and perspectives on art. Being so diverse, it’s hard not to find at least one show to suit one’s interests; the artists are also very available to chat about the art pieces and explain their perspectives on them, which makes the experience even more valuable. The entry is also free, so it’s great to even just go and have a peak at the artworks. Definitely recommended.
Photo by Rhiain Mackie
