AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and Resource Collective

Divina Sonus Ruris
The Sound of the Sacred in Rural Communities
Program of Creative Labs in Sound Art and Experimental Research for 2013

Call Open until September 30th, 2012

“We were always friends. But as happens with family members, between
friends, our relationship was getting worn out. [...] We didn’t explain you
our things. [...] We didn’t have you as students, friends, and talkers.
[...] And we also went through dubious paths, where art and beauty, and –
what is worse to us – the worship of God – weren’t always served well. Let’s
remake the peace?”

(Pope Paul VI, Speech to Artists, 10-12).

1. Creative proposal

The sacred is a central element of the rural communities of the Gralheira
mountain range, São Pedro do Sul (PT). The relationship between rural daily
life and sacred practices is so close and real that it is impossible to
think about these communities apart from the religious themes. Despite the
accelerated transformation of these rural areas, there remains a strong
support by the inhabitants towards religion, not only the older but also the
younger ones, which may surprise many people given the increasing secularism
of contemporary societies. It is therefore useful to analyze the particular
aspects of religion in these rural communities and the reasons why it
continues to deserve such high levels of adherence.

Religion is clearly a major element of social cohesion in rural mountain
communities, where ancient ways of living and feeling remain vivid, which
are passed on from parents to children, thus ensuring a very genuine
balance, anthropologically interesting, between a contemporary way of life
and the permanence of a set of ancient beliefs and practices that give a
sense of continuity over time (historical, familiar, personal) and reinforce
the sense of belonging to a place. In particular, religion intertwines their
lives (the masses, the social work, catechesis, religious heritage, the
festivals that mark the seasonal cycles, celebrations of life and death,
etc..) that it becomes a crucial element for the study of the rural
communities of the Gralheira mountain range.

As the religious subject is very contaminated by simplistic debates and
irreducible positions, it seems to us that it’s necessary to convoke
free-spirited and multi-faceted visions about it. On the other hand, being
the opening to the “other”, to the “unknown” one of the primary focuses of
Binaural/Nodar’s, activities in order to build bridges between the world of
globalized contemporary art and contexts that are not normally dealt with
through a first-hand experience, we believe it’s very relevant the inclusion
of this subject in the artistic research to be developed in our region.

The program of creative labs in sound art and experimental research for 2013
will precisely have as theme the rich religious phonosphere found in the
rural villages of the Gralheira mountain range, within a framework of
promoting an open and frank dialogue with local religious institutions and
in line with the theological, liturgical and cultural changes initiated
after World War II with the Second Vatican Council and more recently
addressed by Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI through regular dialogues
with artists and composers.

2. Open Call

a) The following are the specific themes that may be the subject of artistic
projects and experimental researches:

- Rural hagiography: Legends of local saints and miracles.
- Parish history: Memory of the local historical relationship with religion.
- Religion, gender and generational issues.
- Built Religious Heritage: Churches, chapels, sanctuaries, shrines and
cemeteries.
- Object religious heritage: garments, crosses, litters, chalices, books,
etc.
- Local religious musical heritage.
- Sacred rites: Celebrations, Masses, weddings, baptisms and funerals.
- Religious phonosphere in the landscape: Bell tolls, chants, processions,
fireworks.
- The sacred in the private sphere: Prayers and rosaries, religious
iconography in the rural house.
- Religion and the agricultural cycles.

b) In the selection process the following types of artistic works and
scientific researches will be privileged:

- Electroacoustic / vocal / sound art compositions of religious nature that
may include specific elements such as local instruments, voices or church
organs and may be broadcast via the audio systems of the local churches,
during masses, etc.
- Permanent sound sculptures for churches, chapels and other religious
spaces.
- Radio works from elements of the local religious and anthropological
history.
- Free improvisation and performance works for/from the local religious
phonosphere.
- Experimental researches in anthropology, theology, history, architecture,
philosophy, etc.

c) The artistic creation and experimental research labs will be developed in
two phases, in April and October 2013 (each artist will develop his/her
project during three weeks in only one of the mentioned periods).

d) Applications are accepted only if sent by September 30th, 2012,
exclusively using the online application form:
http://www.binauralmedia.org/news/en/artist-residency/application-form

e) For additional inquiries, please write to Manuela Barile
(manuela@binauralmedia.org) or Rui Costa (rui@binauralmedia.org).

f) For additional information on the conditions of the residency, please
refer to Binaural/Nodar’s website:

http://www.binauralmedia.org/news/en/artist-residency/the-residency.

Luís Costa
Coordenador/Coordinator

Binaural – Associação Cultural de Nodar

Caixa Postal Nº 119
Nodar
3660-324 S. Martinho das Moitas
Portugal

Tel. +351 232 723 160
Mob. +351 918 951 857
Email. info@binauralmedia.org

http://www.binauralmedia.org
http://www.aldeias-sonoras.org
http://www.aldeiasdemagaio.org

from soundasart