Bathyscaph

Just because I’ve taken risks in my life, taking me to the edges, trying things, experimenting, failing then winning, doesn’t mean I like doing it because I’m confused - that’s just a small symptom that others project onto one to justify the convention of a society increasingly drowned in its spectacle.

Bathyscaph is an audiovisual performance exploring the dynamic process of climate change and Arctic glacier melting through the lens of experimental music and media arts. Composed by Sergej Maingardt, the performance examines the process of melting and freezing, creating sound sculptures that build up and collapse, mirroring the rhythm of polar ice caps in transformation.

The work transforms scientific phenomena into artistic dialogue, combining the Ensemble for Experimental Improvisation from HfMT Köln with real-time visual interventions by KHM students under Luis Negrón’s guidance.

Performance Details

Date: June 8, 2017 at 7:30 PM Location: Trinitatiskirche, Filzengraben 6, 50676 Köln, Germany Admission: Free

Concept

The performance creates an immersive environment where sound sculptures emerge and dissolve, representing the delicate balance between freezing and melting in polar regions. Through a collaboration between musicians, electronic artists, and video artists, Bathyscaph delves into the edges of climate transformation, bringing the Arctic’s remote reality into sensory experience.

Artistic Team

Composer: Sergej Maingardt Musical Direction: Prof. Paulo Alvares Ensemble: Ensemble for Experimental Improvisation, HfMT Köln

KHM Visual Artists:

• Luis Negrón van Grieken - Real-time laser drawing
• Thomas Meckel - Light installation
• KHM students under Luis Negrón’s guidance

Context

Part of the scientific theme year “Everything in Flow - Lifeline Water” (Alles im Fluss – Lebenslinie Wasser) in Cologne, the performance bridges art and environmental awareness, taking audiences to the edges of perception where music, light, and ecological crisis converge.