Autophaghy III is the third title in the eponymous series dedicated to the connection and interaction between instruments and electronics, characterised by the extension of those instruments with vibrating speakers or other devices that place the instrument in the centre of a feedback loop. [Autophagy I – [I am a recording instrument] was written by Andrea Mancianti for percussion, electric guitar, double bass, baritone saxophone and electronics; Autophagy II is a composition for percussion, electric guitar and electronics].
Autophagy III, on the one hand, is a permanent installation, which can be visited throughout the duration of the festival. On Saturday and Sunday, Tom De Cock and Andrea Mancianti will engage, twice, in a dialogue with their own installation during a performance.
In the installation Autophagy III, 16 feedback instruments create a spectral-harmonic landscape of harmonic drones that adapt to each other’s spectrum. The instruments respond to subtle changes in space, such as those caused by the presence of audience members.
Frame drums and cymbals are driven by small transducers that turn the instruments into speakers. Through a microphone, their sound in turn drives a feedback loop. As the sound of the instruments is fed back to their own sound box, it can remain in resonance indefinitely. A crucial aspect of these feedback-amplified instruments is the intrinsic unpredictability that amplification introduces.
Autophaghy III is a concept by Tom De Cock, in co-production with quietSpeaker (Andrea Mancianti, sound & Roberto Fusco, light)
