Gambiarra and the In(ter)dependent Condition

Abstract

This article analyzes the relationships of interdependence between musicians and natural or artificial agents of their environment. Considering processes of recycling and refunctionalization of materials with artistic purposes, such relationships are observed in the construction of instruments involving gambiarra in their manufacturing, with a focus on the specific case of an experimental music duo, Senyawa. The paper is theoretically and epistemically grounded in studies focusing on gambiarra, media and ecology, and media archaeology. The methodological procedures encompass analyses of instrument manufacturing processes developed by Wukir Suryadi, one of the members of Senyawa. As a contribution to studies of sound and culture, the article concludes that, through creative practices involving obsolete media materialities, gambiarra processes allow us to observe the continuous relationships between technology and nature in the design and manufacturing of technical artifacts.