HYPNAGOGIA/OXYGENATE, PHILOMÈNE PIRECKI

Friday 22 November 2024

8:30 pm - 9.00 pm

Palazzo Contarini Polignac
Dorsoduro 874, 30123 Venice

Sonic exploration of bodily rhythms, sensory states, and electromagnetic frequencies

Pirecki's sonic practice has developed over several years through a sonic investigation into the emotive, physiological, sensory, and temporal properties of bodily rhythms and sounds. Her compositions are generated from the artist's heartbeats, breathing, vocalisations, and phonetic drones, captured in various physical and emotional states. Woven within these are electromagnetic frequencies alongside binaural tones based on delta and theta brainwave frequencies, which consider the body as an energetic and electrically charged conduit.

In her 10" release, Hypnagogia takes its name from the murky state between sleep and wakefulness, it channels this liminal zone through waves of vocal dissonance and harmony, punctuated by portent-laden laughter, groans, screeches, and patterns of breathing, shifting in and out of an ecstatic dream state or darker night terrors. Oxygenate is a track shaped around a pulsating rush of reverberant, guttural drones, breathing, and electromagnetic and brainwave frequencies, interspersed with percussive bursts from asthma inhalers and the distorted sounds of swallowing.

Pirecki’s vocals evoke a ritualistic conjuring, underpinned by bass rhythms generated from her heartbeats in varying intensity and bpm. Together with invisible electromagnetic frequencies which she sonically sculpts from the air, her performance channels a visceral transmission of energetic and sensory resonances.

Artist's Bio

Philomène Pirecki is a multidisciplinary artist based in London working with sound, photography, painting and objects. Her sonic practice is built around somatic rhythms and energetic frequencies, using recordings generated by her heartbeats, breathing, vocalisations and drones captured in varied physical and emotional states. She integrates binaural tones based on brainwave frequencies and electromagnetic recordings, considering the body as an electrically charged and energetic conduit. Her first 10” Hypnagogia / Oxygenate, was released in October 2022. She recently launched Gates of Vanitas, an experimental editions label exploring temporality, life and death through the hermetic, folkloric and metaphysical. Pirecki has performed live at Iklectik, London; Cafe Oto, London; Vasaros Amfiteatras, Lithuania; South London Gallery; Wysing Polyphonic music festival, Cambridge; and has exhibited widely including at Somerset House, London; Art Night, London; Chelsea Space, London; Palais des Beaux-Arts, Paris; State of Concept, Athens; South London Gallery. Pirecki was shortlisted for the 2013 Max Mara Art Prize for Women.