FutureEverything 2015: Memo Akten – Simple Harmonic Motion for 16 Percussionists
The result of an artistic residency at FutureEverything, Simple Harmonic Motion for 16 Percussionists by digital artist Memo Akten featured 16 percussionists in a powerful sound and light performance, inspired by natural and mathematical phenomena, as well as works by the likes of Steve Reich and György Ligeti. Performed on the same evening as Koreless’s The Well, Akten’s work was a dizzying delve down a rabbit hole, percussive patterns loosening and coalescing, teetering between precision and chaos.
In this short video, Akten explains the themes and ideas behind the project, how it came together and the effect that he intended it to have on the audience.
Akten was born in Istanbul but now lives in London, where he’s studying towards a PHD at Goldsmiths College. The highlights of his career so far include his 2013 collaboration with Quayola, Forms, which won the Golden Nica at the Prix Ars Electronica.
Since 2009, meanwhile, his works Body Paint and Gold have toured with the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Decode exhibition.
Read more about the project here: futureeverything.org/projects/simple-harmonic-motion-16-percussionists
Read more about FutureEverything's upcoming Singapore festival: futureeverything.org/news/futureeverything-singapore