„Surface Bruit“ explores the sonic and sculptural potential of home-made shellac records. DinahBird makes the records by hand using various shellac-based recipes, silicone moulds, and a recycling method involving dissolving found shellac discs in alcohol or melting them down in a small press. The newly produced 7” records feature short pieces composed using field recordings, that document current lac production processes in India. The final objects reflect the numerous challenges of the production process and are full of blemishes and imperfections – traces of their artisanal manufacture, such as air bubbles, dead insects and lumps. These errors are then incorporated into the performance. The records get stuck and loop by themselves. They are sometimes mixed with other early disc formats, such as Pyral, and played on various record players and a gramophone.
Jury’s Statement
The Karl Sczuka Research Grant, awarded jointly by the Goethe-Institut and SWR, honours the Paris-based British sound artist DinahBird. In her audio piece „Surface Bruit“, DinahBird explores the sonic and sound sculptural potential of shellac records and at the same time takes a look at the role of women in the international record industry.
is a sound artist and radio maker based in Paris. She reimagines and repurposes early communication and recording technologies such as radio waves, gramophone records, tape recorders, antennas, transistors, boomboxes, and undersea cables. She is interested in exploring the aesthetic, material and social aspects of sound reproduction through radio art, electro-acoustic compositions, sound installations, photography, teaching and live performances.
