Announcement // Raster-Noton’s 20th Anniversary: White Circle Installation at ZKM

Raster-Noton.Archiv für ton und nichtton is an artistic platform, an open network between the poles of music, visual media, fine arts and science. The label was initiated by Olaf Bender, Carsten Nicolai and Frank Bretschneider in 1996 and is located in Chemnitz. For more than two decades now, the label has been realizing and presenting musical releases, as well as book projects, installations and performances all over the world. Today Raster-Noton is considered as one of the leading labels in experimental electronic music. In addition to its founders, the label currently represents around 30 internationally renowned artists exclusively.

White Circle Flyer

This month Raster-Noton presents, in celebration of its 20th anniversary and in collaboration with ZKM, the White Circle, an acoustic-architectural space designed as an audiovisual installation. Four of the label’s artists – Alva Noto, Byetone, Frank Bretschneider, and Kangding Ray – are invited to contribute to an exclusive audiovisual composition.

Each composition will present an independent, self-contained concept of the respective artist. All works will be based on the idea of ambient music, a music that wants to make tangible the acoustic space as well as the visual stimulus.

White Circle was exclusively conceptualized for ZKM’s “klangdom” (sound dome) which is made up of 47 speakers distributed throughout the room. By means of the control software ‘Zirkonium’, these speakers can be played, turning sound itself into a sculptural spatial experience.

As part of ZKM’s GLOBALE, Raster-Noton’s White Circle will be presented for the first time, before the installation will be shown in various locations worldwide. The exhibition’s opening night on March 11th will also present performances by three Raster-Noton artists that were invited to produce a multi-channel sound work for the immersive 4DSOUND system.