Da Trapa Sound Sculpture
Together, we created a set of tree sculptures from recycled materials and conducted musical workshops. The final presentation of the work included concerts on musical instruments made from recycled materials with the involvement of participants from the local community. Based on the success of this project, we decided to develop the ideas further. The opportunity to do so came with the possibility of a joint artistic residency in Portugal. Initially, we planned to make a big udu-drum sculpture (“the Udu-pture”) which could be put in the public space so that locals could play it any time they wanted. We planned to conduct ceramic and music workshops, record sounds, and burn the final piece during a public event with music and dances. After coming to Santa Cruz da Trapa, however, our plans had to be modified. The weather conditions of the first week in residence (permanent rain), as well as delays getting all the necessary materials (clay), forced us to reconsider our project. We decided to construct a sculpture which could be played by the local people. We worked with the local stone, conducted workshops with children, and organized common music performances during the final presentation of our work. During the two last weeks of the residence, our vision took complete form. The main element was a sound sculpture made of marble from the south of Portugal. Using its acoustic qualities, we created a musical instrument, which could be played with sticks made of bamboo from the area. Several ‘jam sessions’ were organized with musicians from the neighborhood. During these sessions, we discovered that the soundsculpture could be played by one person or by several. At the same time, we began to work with bamboo (which was every where in Santa Cruz da Trapa) in different musical ways. We used it to make flutes and as elements of small xylophones we made for children. The workshops were organized at a primary school. Over three sessions, we worked together with young participants to create several udu-drums. For this, we used the green clay of Molelos – a local ceramic center. We taught the children how to play udu-drums, bamboo flutes, and small portable xylophones.
Finally we created an orchestra with different instrumental sections, soloists, and a conductor. For the final presentation of the common work, we invited the children as well as their teachers and parents. We collected all the instruments outdoors, next to the art gallery of a local cultural center. We were really happy to see participants from the workshops, teachers, parents, and other members of the local community there. They really wanted to take partin the presentation. We performed one improvised / composed piece for an orchestra of udu drums, xylophones, bamboo sticks and flutes, metal parts, and the sound sculpture. Later, we stayed and jammed a little. After the presentation, which was a shared social and artistic performance, some participants took the instruments home. The main instrument made from stone and metal became a part of an exhibition in the local gallery.
Maciej Kierzkowski was born in 1974 and is a musician and ethno musicologist. He works as composer, music producer and multi-instrumentalist, dealing mainly with folk and experimental music. He creates sound tracks for theater spectacles, movies as well as conducts musical workshops for children. He also maintains ethnomusicological field audio recordings and co-manages art organization Akademia Profil.
Jarosław Urbański, was born in 1978 and has a degree in Fine Arts–Sculpture. He currently works in Chojnice (Poland) and deals with large and sculptural forms using different techniques and materials such as ceramics, resins, non-ferrous metals, scrap, recycled materials, wood and stone. He also conducts art workshops for children and adults.