Dear All

I thought I would just let you know what is happening here in Mexico City.

Mexico City is cooler at the moment than I thought it would be but there are great blue skies and amazing light in the plaza.

Martyn (Ware) and myself arrived on Monday evening and since then the technical infrastructure has been put in place, co-ordinated by an amazing guy called Cristain. Martyn and Tim [his UK his technician] have been overseeing the playback set up of the tracks, EQ and sound levels on the 3d system. There has been some issues with the control room, the control room is underneath the plaza and it gets very hot with the weathers heat, the computers, amps and other bits of technology which was effecting the sound coming out of the speakers. Cristian now has put air conditioning in there and so the system isn't feeling the heat any more.

The installation sounds amazing, absolutely amazing!!! I was in the plaza yesterday listening to the Mexican artists doing their sound checks and it was amazing. They [Martyn/Tim and the Mexican sound company] have really created a real sound oasis in the plaza, a 3d sonic structure that is clearly delineated when the artworks are playing. The levels are so that it is not too loud, blocking out the city noise but works/accommodates them. Sometimes you do not know if what you are listening to is the city or the works. For example Martyn's work has tuned to the barrel organ players so it sound like they are playing along with the work. In places of Guillermo Galindo's work I could not tell what was the city and what was the artwork. AMAZING

We still have more sound checks to do today before the opening at 8pm so I will write something about each work tomorrow.

Of course during the sound checks the plaza is still full of people and the reaction we are getting from them is great. They are staying and listening to the works for some time. Interpretation panels go up today along with a parabolic speaker which speaks the interpretation texts so they will get all the information without asking for it. There are also A3 folded handouts that people can take away summarising the exhibition and each work.

We did a press conference yesterday attended by 20 members of the press. Attending was Francisca, Manuel, Guillermo, Mario, Rogelio, Martyn, Maryanne and myself. Lots of photos were taken of us all and it seemed to go well.

The opening tonight starts at Palacio with drinks then at 8pm we will go out into the plaza where Maryanne will play a hybrid version of her work. Afterwards the party heads to a bar where Martyn and myself will be entertaining the masses with our DJ skills [god help them]. Maryanne is also playing a live concert in the plaza on Saturday evening and Mario and Rogelio are playing live on Friday night in a venue close to the Palacio.

There is also a TV documentary being filmed for broadcast on the cultural station so there are a number of cameras buzzing around and I am guessing everyone will get a copy of documentary once it is done.

I think that is good for the moment. Email questions back but if you can come to see this exhibition then do so. I think this exhibition is unique in site specific art and sound art. Too many thoughts buzzing around at the moment to explain them clearly.

There is a new website www.oasissonoro.com.mx which is great.

Thanks

Andrew

Slavek Kwi <slavek_kwi@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

dearrr andrew
it sounds great. thanks for e_msg.
however, i am frustrated, that i cannot come this time
and i'll be not able to hear my own work, which was designed especially for site itself.
wondering, if somebody could make bi_aural recording on dat or solid_state recorder
(the best simply place mics in middle and leave it there), i would rrreally appreciate it.
in my work i was hoping for exactly opposite effect than you mention concerning work of Guillermo Galindo, i hope for verrry clear character of sounds within piece, rather than blending to stick out in very individual way and simultaneously being in balance and complementary with surrounding environment. complementarity in co_existential non_disturbing manner, enriching whole audio_organism. however, don't know if it works or not in reality. well, ...
hope to meet you sometimes!
all the best!!!
slavek