The travelling Now

2013
mixed media installation with Katarzyna Krakowiak
2 channel HD video - 15'33", radio antennas, polaroids
dimensions / variable

The showcase of the multimedia installation The Traveling Now is the first part of the project that was created within the Corners Initiative.

After exploring of motives and oral literature, this time in the area of Basque Country and the Baltics, as well as after dealing with migration and representation of poetic elements along the edges of European geography, the authors built the installation through various forms of media – phonography, poetry, video, instant photography and sound. The sound aspect of the installation conveys phonographic recordings as a migration through the space of isolated local radio frequencies. Programmed radio antennas rely on existing frequencies and generate new channels – the signal travels in free space.

Songs / poetry of local authors are selected and documented, giving the visibility to authors from the “edges” of Europe. One such encounter was with Bertsolari poet Jon Maia – leading traditional composer and singer of Euskara bertso verses, who improvises, creates and sings the verses in the moment, right now. Therefore, present remains their only time of being.

Unea, bat-batekotasuna
Itsasoa da bertso honetan
Nire kontuen motibo
Denbora eta espazioa
Bihurtzen ditu likido
Bertsoa ere nahiz eta grabatu
Nahiz eta entzun aldiro
Orain botata hemen entzunda
Ez da izango berriro.

***

The sea is the reason
of my tales in these verses,
as it transforms time and space
into liquids.
Even verses, recorded
or listened again and again,
these I sing here and you listen
will never be the same again.