López
Sonic Alter Ego
Spain (7.500 euros)
The scope of sound creation traditionally covers two large conceptual categories: tools (instruments, software, sound materials, methods) and sound pieces (composed, improvised, random). Sonic Alter Ego is a system-concept between the said categories or, more specifically, a virtual creative entity that includes both. It will produce original, variable sound creations as a result of the interaction between the author's criteria and its working architecture. The fundamental concept of Sonic Alter Ego is not the development of a software tool for a potential user, but rather the transfer of crucial aspects of Francisco López’s creative spirit to a virtual machine. Using evolutive computation techniques, the system performs a process for learning the artist's creative criteria, such as the selection of sound materials, the choice of their transformation and edition, the compositional decisions taken regarding the structure of the piece, etc. At the same time, this virtual alter ego reveals hidden or unconscious aspects of the author's own creative spirit.
Francisco López is internationally recognized as one of the main figures on the stage of sound art and experimental music. His experience in the field of sound creation and work with environmental recordings covers a period of more than 25 years, during which he has developed an impressive sound universe that is completely personal and iconoclastic and based on profound listening to the world. He has performed hundreds of concerts, projects with field recordings and sound installations in 50 countries all over the world, including the main international museums, galleries and festivals, such as: PS1 Contemporary Art Center (New York), Museum of Modern Art (Paris), International Film Festival (Rotterdam), Festival des Arts (Brussels), Darwin Fringe (Darwin, Australia), Institute of Contemporary Art (London), Museum of Modern Art of Buenos Aires, Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona, Center of Contemporary Art (Kita-Kyushu, Japan), etc. His extensive catalogue of sound pieces (with live and studio collaborations with more than 100 international artists) has been published by more than 160 recording companies all over the world and he has received the honorific mention of the Ars Electronica Festival (Linz) on three occasions.