previous « »nextA ideia de que os peixes fogem das águas do Delta do Saloum por causa do ruído não é minha. É a ideia usada por Lamine, um piroguier, para me explicar parte das mudanças em curso nesta zona costeira do Senegal. O ruído a que se refere é sobretudo o dos motores das pirogas, dos muitos pescadores que acorrem para tentar a sua sorte aqui. Mas há mais ruído. Esta paisagem sonora começa às 5 da manhã, quando a insónia é alimentada pelo forte rumorejar das águas, num pequeno hotel à beira do rio, os melhores registos sonoros parecem acontecer sempre às cinco da manhã. À minha volta tudo parece dormir, apenas as águas estão acordadas, a esta hora não escondem a agitação. Entre as 5 e a 9, vou captando o crescendo da atividade, enquanto oiço os batimentos da construção da ponte que ligará Foundiougne a Fatick, o que singifa uma ligação mais rápida entre a zona da Petite Côte e a fronteira com a Gâmbia em Karang. Esta ponte, oferecida pelo Governo chinês1, na qual trabalham operários chineses que bebem cerveja no mesmo bar que nós, significará também mais barulho. O som dos trabalhos da ponte são apenas a metáfora, num lugar conhecido pela sua biodiversidade, transtornado pela incessante exploração dos recursos, pela ideia de desenvolvimento e otimização da mobilidade humana. Assim, a paisagem sonora de crescente perturbação é uma interpretação minha das palavras de Lamine, onde se misturam o sentido que essas palavras ganharam e o meu propósito de prestar atenção ao som que ali me levou. No Saloum, o elemento dominante é a água, é dela o sustento, e é também nela que se manifestam as contradições das mudanças.
Of Steel and (Un)Stillness | Progress Post #1
Representing and territorialising sound.
published on GeoHumanities Forum and MOHU ‘ Mobilities and the Humanities’ Centre for Advanced Studies
Our commission “Of Steel and (un)Stillness” is essentially built with and through sounds and images. While a considerable part of the materials to be used were gathered during the shooting of a documentary film, our work also comprises the creation of a kinetic and sound-installation through the assemblage of spare car parts, collected in Lisbon’s outskirts. The need to present 2D printable elements as requested by the Creative Commissions team has challenged us in the way we think of, and represent our work.
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Representing and territorialising sound.
published on GeoHumanities Forum and MOHU ‘ Mobilities and the Humanities’ Centre for Advanced Studies
Our commission “Of Steel and (un)Stillness” is essentially built with and through sounds and images. While a considerable part of the materials to be used were gathered during the shooting of a documentary film, our work also comprises the creation of a kinetic and sound-installation through the assemblage of spare car parts, collected in Lisbon’s outskirts. The need to present 2D printable elements as requested by the Creative Commissions team has challenged us in the way we think of, and represent our work.
4. Humming and Hissing. Stopping.
Crossing the border of Morocco to Mauritania through Guerguerat Strip. The straight horizontal line of this spectrogram (first 50 seconds) is a humming mixed with a warning siren that is repeated in short cycles (thus creating the continuous line). The giant 10 meter tall scanner searches cars potentially involved in smuggling activities. The roadster’s car in which we travel has just left this apparatus and dogs have sniffed the car. We are waiting for green light to move forward. Another routier, whose overloaded car had entered the scanner, flees and leaves his vehicle behind. The car in which we travel stops before crossing Guerguerat’s Strip (a no man’s land claimed by Saharawi resistance) while “our” roadster works out the next step. Birds sing throughout. The humming low noise is finally interrupted (at the end of the recording) by a sound resembling a hissing sigh of relief. It is a truck’s air brake being released.
(Audio Recorded in December 2019
at the Moroccan border, leaving to
Guerguerat strip)
21°21’43.9″N 16°57’41.1″W
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Crossing the border of Morocco to Mauritania through Guerguerat Strip. The straight horizontal line of this spectrogram (first 50 seconds) is a humming mixed with a warning siren that is repeated in short cycles (thus creating the continuous line). The giant 10 meter tall scanner searches cars potentially involved in smuggling activities. The roadster’s car in which we travel has just left this apparatus and dogs have sniffed the car. We are waiting for green light to move forward. Another routier, whose overloaded car had entered the scanner, flees and leaves his vehicle behind. The car in which we travel stops before crossing Guerguerat’s Strip (a no man’s land claimed by Saharawi resistance) while “our” roadster works out the next step. Birds sing throughout. The humming low noise is finally interrupted (at the end of the recording) by a sound resembling a hissing sigh of relief. It is a truck’s air brake being released.
(Audio Recorded in December 2019
at the Moroccan border, leaving to
Guerguerat strip)
21°21’43.9″N 16°57’41.1″W
READ FURTHER ...