Catching the Wind
Why are we interested in sound in its broadest sense; Curatorial approaches and challenges; Why wind matters to us; Audiality of Central/North Asian cultures (vs. cultures based on writing approach to the structures of “knowledge” + how the “knowledge” is being extracted); (Neo)liberal “decolonization” vs. more class-informed approaches in the (broader) region, what makes more sense; How “tradition” is related to identity-building — (right) nationalism vs. (left) regional internationalism; Music as a tool of working with “difficult” memories and colonial/imperial legacy; Geopolitical “in-betweenness” of the region — neither “Global South” nor “Global North”, imaginary “East” vs. “West”.
26.3.2025, 19:00, online (click for the Zoom link)
KORKUT SONIC ARTS TRIENNALE
From September 6 to November 1, 2025, the Tselinny Center for Contemporary Culture in Almaty will host the second edition of Korkut Sonic Arts Triennale. Through the natural evolution of the Sound Art and New Music Biennale into the Sonic Arts Triennale, the second Korkut keeps its initial focus on sound and music but brings this vision even further by pushing the institutional boundaries that often restrict these artistic fields. Extending beyond sound installations and live concerts, Rites of Eternal Wind will showcase some of the most adventurous sonic events and situations, including soundwalks, experimental choir performances, hybrid poetry readings, research-driven audio essays, guided listening sessions, and more.
The updated conceptual framework is rooted in the understanding that Central Asian, Turkic, North Asian, and many other cultures in the broader region are fundamentally auditory, with oral and listening traditions historically taking precedence over written ones. For generations, sonic practices of these lands—whether instrumental music, spoken literature, or various forms of improvisation—have been central to shaping societies and their worldviews. Take aitys, often considered an early form of political debate, or küis—musical compositions for traditional instruments—many of which are believed to cure illnesses and cast out evil spirits. Honouring these practices and making room for others, the newly opened Center for Contemporary Culture will transform into a vast resonating space for sonic ceremonies, sonic rituals, sonic dialogues, sonic celebrations, sonic mournings, and sonic remedies.
