Mongdular
Mongdular is a composition for tape, electronics and percussion, and a soundtrack for urban buildings, which seeks to temporarily (and problematically) situate contemporary urban construction within the history of heroic modernism. The recorded elements of this soundtrack obliquely signal the heroic age of modernist architectural construction by referring the listener to the construction of a new city.
However, without references to any specific city, we are left with description of an unknown city-space, to be interpreted by the listener in relation to the actual urban space in which they hear the soundwork. This text is accompanied by other sonic markers of modernity, including electronica and musique concrete. Other elements of the soundtrack seek to undermine, shift or challenge the listener/viewer’s perception of contemporary urban building construction: notably texts and sounds that signal the gap between modernist architectural ideals and the reality of post-modern building design and construction. [Andy Birtwistle]
Dr. Andy Birtwistle is an art historian, sound artist and filmmaker, and is currently Principal Lecturer in the Department of Media at Canterbury Christ Church University, UK. He originally trained as a filmmaker, but in recent years his research interest in film sound has resulted in the production of audio compositions that have been broadcast and exhibited internationally. His production work in this area draws on contemporary critical theory to explore art historical issues of modernism through creative production in sound and moving image. Recent work in this area includes sound installations, live performance and radio broadcasts. His video work has been screened in galleries and on television in the UK, and at international and domestic film festivals.
