Sonotopia – The Sonic Explorers

Abstract

The international exchange project “sonotopia – the sonic explorers” by bonn hoeren on behalf of the Beethoven Foundation for Art and Culture sent six young European sound artists on artistic expeditions to four cities on four continents on the occasion of the Beethoven anniversary year. After residencies with two young local sound artists in each of the respective cities – Tehran, Dakar and Valparaiso/Bonn – all of the twelve artists came together in Bonn. A final exhibition showed works created in Bonn, documented the working process and the individual works by the young artists, and reflected about the outcomes of the collaborations and the specifics of their local contexts. Materials, field recordings, sketches, traces, sound cartographies, ideas, artifacts, devices and atmospheres: What and how did the young sound artists hear and what did they experien-ce during their time together? What remains? This publication documents and reflects the process and the results of the residencies with textcontributions of the participants and mentors, countless images and interviews.