Hörspiel und Raumkünste
Beyond Radio – A Swedish View on the Fluxus Movement and the Experimental Music Scene
Freitag, 22. April / 11.00 bis 12.30 Uhr
Akademie der Künste, Hanseatenweg / Studiofoyer
Vortrag (in englischer Sprache) von Mats Lindström
Schweden war in den 50er- und 60er-Jahren ein hot spot für radikale Kunst am Schnittpunkt von Neuer Musik und Intermedia-Art. Zusammen mit der von Künstlern getragenen Fylkingen-Gesellschaft spielte der Schwedische Rundfunk eine Schlüsselrolle als Produzent von experimenteller Musik und Radiokunst. Mats Lindström, künstlerischer Direktor des aus dieser Allianz hervorgegangenen EMS-Institutsfür elektroakustische Musik in Stockholm, erzählt die ungewöhnliche Geschichte eines Radios als Impulsgeber der Avantgarde.
In relation to other Nordic countries, Sweden has always distinguished itself as far as the development of radical forms of cultural expression is concerned. From the start, the crucial difference was the existence of the association named Fylkingen – a gathering of artists – founded as early as in the 1930s as a chamber music association but which would later be known under the label "New music and intermedia art". Together with the Swedish radio, Fylkingen had arranged the first concrete music concert in 1952 presented by Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henry. In 1958, John Cage and David Tudor paid Fylkingen a visit on their first tour outside the U.S.. The same year, Moderna Museet opened and in 1960, Pontus Hultén became its director. From then on, New York would become the most obvious point of reference for the Stockholm scene. In 1959, Fylkingen underwent a radical change as the Norwegian Knut Wiggen took over. In 1964, Wiggen also became the director of the brand-new electronic music studio, EMS, started by the Swedish Radio. Moderna Museet opened its doors to a classic avant-garde as well as to the newborn Fluxus movement. Sweden in the 60s was destined to become radical, conspiratorial, bewildering, conflict-ridden and filled with stimulating creativity and paralysing politicization. At this time, the Swedish Radio chose to play one of the key roles on the arena, putting the emphasis on art. The radio was to become the most forceful and radical culturally political protagonist that didn’t only focus on creating radio programmes. This is the story about a radio playing the part of main figure, catalyst and initiator on the artistic arena, with Stockholm as a melting-pot.
Moderation: Andreas Hagelüken (Radio TESLA)
Mats Lindström, born 1960, has worked with electro-acoustic music and live electronics since the 1980s. Formerly an engineer in the electronics industry Lindström has designed and constructed a number of unique electronic musical instruments and apparatuses. He has worked with intermedia art and music for theatre and dance as well as improvised music. Since 2004, Mats Lindström is the Executive/Artistic Director of EMS (Institute for Electroacoustic Music in Sweden).
