Philip Samartzis & Eric La Casa // Captured Space Tape

of Melbourne, AustraliaProfessor, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology / Sound ArtistPhilip Samartzis and Parisian sound artist Eric La Casa released a limited edition cassette of 2020 copies in 100 from Portuguese experimental label Cronica.

South africaAbout 50 minutes of field recording recorded in Kruger National Park.Comes with DL code.It is out of print.the following,Commentary by Philip Samartzis.

Kruger National Park is located in the northeastern part of South Africa, between the Tropic of Capricorn.It is a subtropical park with a length of about 360 km and a width of 65 km that borders Zimbabwe and Mozambique and spans the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga.Wildlife and flora such as acacias, buffalo grass, mopane shrubs, acacias, baobabs and marula are abundant.Several rivers flow through the park, including the Crocodile, Retaba, Limpopo, Lviv, Olifants and Saby rivers.The vast wilderness is dotted with bush camps, safari lodges, gift shops, restaurants and viewing platforms for viewing flora and fauna.

This stereo version of Captured Space is born from a multi-channel sound installation that explores two parallel environments: nature and architecture.While Kruger's natural world is wild and ferocious, the built world, including roads and settlements, is pedestrian and designed to keep visitors comfortable and safe from the daily struggles of life and death.From your car, you'll discover a wonderful habitat made up of familiar characters.However, no matter how far they travel, they cannot easily escape the space constraints of cars and the high-voltage electric fences surrounding tourist spots.While African animals are the protagonists of zoos around the world, at Kruger the animals are vigilant and protective of an exotic mix of people confined to minimal space for self-defense.

The sounds that make up Captured Space were recorded over 10 days by Eric and I as we leisurely toured the park looking for recording opportunities.However, the park has strict rules and it was unexpected that our activities would be restricted.It quickly became clear that our documentation project was as much about the rich ecosystems we seek to document as about the places we were imprisoned.So all the recordings were made from inside the car, on the bridge, inside the hut, and inside the enclosure where we stayed each night.From these places the sounds always seemed to come from somewhere else than where we were.Always distant, hidden from view, frustrating and elusive. Captured Space offers a kaleidoscopic experience of the South African wilderness through infrastructure that facilitates access to a world populated by strange and menacing creatures.A mysterious world with intense soundscapes, scorching heat during the day, and bleak nights.

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Edition of 100. Includes DL code.

Artist statement by Philip Samartzis :

"Located in the north-east corner of South Africa, bisected by the Tropic of Capricorn, is Kruger National Park. Bordered by Zimbabwe and Mozambique, the subtropical park is approximately 360 kilometers long and 65 kilometers wide, and takes in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Aside from abundant wildlife, the landscape contains assorted vegetation including red and buffalo grass, mopane scrub, and a great number of Acacia, Baobab and Marula trees. Several rivers run through the park including the Crocodile, Letaba, Limpopo, Luvuvhu, Olifants and Sabie. Staggered across the expansive wilderness are bush camps and safari lodges, gift shops and restaurants, and various lookouts to view the flora and fauna.

This stereo version of Captured Space is derived from a multichannel sound installation exploring two parallel environments – the natural and constructed. While the natural world of Kruger is wild and ferocious, the constructed world of roads and settlements is pedestrian, designed to keep visitors comfortable and safe from the daily struggle of life and death. cannot easily escape the spatial constraints of the car, or the high voltage electric fence encircling the tourist resort. While African animals are the mainstay of zoos around the world, at Kruger the animals are the vigilant keepers of an exotic mix of people confined to the The smallest of spaces for their own self-preservation.

The sounds comprising Captured Space were registered over ten days while Eric and I leisurely toured the park seeking recording opportunities. What we hadn't anticipated was how limited our movements would become due to the stringent set of rules regulating the park. our recording project would be as much about the places we were confined to, as it was about the fecund ecology we sought to register. we stayed each night. From these vantage points sound always seemed to appear from somewhere other than where we were. Always at a distance, concealed from view, and frustratingly elusive. Captured Space offers a kaleidoscopic experience of the South African wilderness solely through the infrastructure used to facilitate access to a world inhabited by strange and menacing creatures. A spectral world where the soundscape is caustic, days irradiant , and nights tenebrous."

Artist : Philip Samartzis & Eric La Casa 

Label: Label: Chronicle