Publication

A-sides.
A cosmology of audio editions by artists around the Arc Lémanique region

Edited by Laurent Schmid and Roxane Bovet
With John Armleder, Francis Baudevin, Mathieu Copeland, Jonathan Frigeri, Stéphane Kropf

Graphic design
AMI, Adeline Senn, Martin Maeder

Paperback, 224 p. (ill), english edition
15 x 20 cm, softcover
Published by Clinamen and HEAD – Genève, 2020
ISBN 978-2-9701103-6-1
EAN : 9782970110361

Since the beginning of its existence, the record has always been used by visual artists as a form of distribution for their sound practice. First experimented with by the early avant-garde movements, the role of these sound supports was later redefined in the context of the proliferation and hybridization of forms between sound and language. 

While recording media such as discs or cassettes were used to document happenings, readings, and Fluxus concerts, these media also became a medium in their own right, used by artists to transmit their experiments. Moreover, the current economic and technological context generated a keen interest in editorial and multiple art practices.

A-sides brings into focus on a network of actors linked to the scene of the Lake Geneva region – on the history of artistic encounters and exchanges generating sound productions. The produced works, as well as the methods of exploration of this international network, formed the basis of this anthology of artists’ sound publications.

A-sides gives an insight into the conditions and motivations that give rise to the creation of sound recordings as an art form and explores the ambiguity of the relationship between the current technological context, which is moving towards dematerialization, and the persistence of sound practices distributed on tangible recording media.

Contributions by Laurent Schmid, Roxane Bovet, Camilla Paolino and Ghalas Charara, Francis Baudevin, Laurence Wagner, Christophe Kihm, Luca Frei, Anne Le Troter, John Armleder, Karl Holmqvist, Charlemagne Palestine, Maurizio Nannucci, Mathieu Copeland, N.U. Unruh, Franz Treichler, FM Einheit, Hannah Weinberger, Daniel Löwenbrück, Jan van Toorn, Ben Schot, Volker Zander, Jonathan Frigeri, Bruno Sphere, Tzii, Christophe Piette, Benjamin Novello (Blanktapes), d’incise, Frédéric Post, Francesco Cavaliere, Aymeric de Topol, Lieven Martens, Sixto Fernando, Zamzamrec, Ergo Phizmiz, Feldermelder, Joke Lanz.

The book can be ordered here. (Les presses du Réel) (22 €)

Sound editions, publishers and artists; Additions to the entries in the printed version