Białowieża
Izabela Dłużyk & Chris Watson
Unsound New York and Pioneer Works co-present Białowieża, a sound installation of field recordings made in Europe's last remaining primeval forest.
Presented as part of Unsound New York 2024, Białowieża is a newly commissioned work that Izabela Dłużyk created in collaboration with noted British sound artist and field recordist Chris Watson. It is based on field recordings made in Puszcza Białowieska—Europe's last remaining primeval forest, located on the border between Poland and Belarus. In recent times, the forest has become a contentious place, initially due to logging; since late 2021, scores of migrants from Africa, the Middle East and South Asia have attempted to go through the forest and cross from Belarus into Poland and the European Union. Many have either died within the forest during this journey, or they’ve been pushed back by Polish guards. Additionally, a metal wall has been constructed to divide the forest, which has become a symbol of wider geopolitical tensions. This intense location provides the grounding for Białowieża, in which the natural and unnatural sounds of the forest have therefore taken on newer more shadowy layers of meaning.
Białowieża premiered at Unsound’s sister festival Ephemera in Warsaw earlier this year. The project was commissioned by Unsound, Atonal, Semibreve and Sónar as part of the TIMES Platform. The installation will also be free of charge.
About the Artists
Izabela Dłużyk is a Polish nature sound recordist. Born blind, Dłużyk developed interest in birds and began to record bird noises at the age of 12. Her specific sensitivity to birdsong has since grown into a wide-ranging artistic practice. Last year, BBC World broadcast a documentary about Dłużyk, during which she noted, “Humans focus more on visual aspects. When observing birds, we mainly think about photography. We identify species based on their appearance rather than their sounds. When I listen not only to birds, but also to trees, I simply feel in the right place, with a sense of the deepest meaning of existence.”
Chris Watson is one of the United Kingdom's most celebrated sound recordists. In addition to being a founding member of Sheffield's influential Cabaret Voltaire and The Hafler Trio, he's been developing his ear for field recording since the early 1980s, working extensively for the BBC on numerous nature shows. As a solo artist, he's helped figure out a space between documentary and fantasy, collaborating with artists like BJ Nilsen, Z'EV, KK Null and Philip Jeck. One of his longest collaborations has been with David Attenborough.
About Unsound New York
Taking place from November 14th to 17th, 2024, the New York edition of Unsound includes three nights at Lincoln Center, partnerships with Pioneer Works and Dripping, and a program spanning experimental, electronic, avant-pop and club music. To make Unsound New York accessible, events are mostly free or choose-what-you-pay. Acts appearing include: Chris Watson & Izabela Dłużyk present Białowieża; Kali Malone presents All Life Long; Mabe Fratti; Piotr Kurek; Raphael Rogiński feat. Jim White & Amirtha Kidambi / Sunn O))).
Unsound New York first took place in 2010 with major acclaim from press and fans alike. The festivals broad remit to combine live events with club events, the known with the unknown, and to include a good number of under-exposed (at that time) Polish and Eastern European acts was a winner. The Sunday New York Times declared ‘Hello, New York: Avant Garde Eastern Europe’ with a full-page feature that included festival co-founder Mat Schulz noting, “The fact that (Unsound is) coming from Krakow in a sense makes it more interesting. It’s not what you would expect, and it makes a comment about the way that culture now doesn’t necessarily come from these precise points you’d think it would come from. That’s what this festival is about as well: disrupting preconceived notions of a lot of different types, not only about what a country or a city is, or what cultural centers are, but also what music is and how different kinds of music can be connected. That’s really at the heart of the whole enterprise.” This fortunately remains true for this year’s edition of Unsound New York.
It's easy to see that a wider range of Polish and Eastern European artists have emerged into a stronger and wider light thanks in part to the ongoing influence of Unsound in Krakow, Poland and beyond. Unsound has also moved beyond the festival releasing a book, more offshoot events, and more recently a record label.