'Listening Party' is a book and cassette series inspired by a listening party that took place in Greenpoint, NY 2014.
The Sound of Memory
Nostalgia is a chain that connects us. Within our own personal narratives, we share experiences that continue to grow through memory. Always operating as a ghost from the past, gently nudging you, reminding you that it never left. You return to that place from a passing scent, an overcast day, the echo of a distant melody.
For the fourth installment of Listening Party, we present Los Angeles-based artist Geneva Skeen. Composing arrangements of sound and text for this issue, the pages of "Arrangement for Mixed Memos" recall unforgettable/transformative/special memories through shared musical experiences. Each page transcribes a memorable moment where a song was heard between two people. Title, year and place provide the backdrop for these reflections. The sonic accompaniment mirrors this sentiment as it takes us through Skeen's compiled voice memos over the last five years, stitched into a seamless narrative of personal vignettes.
We used one of our own music memories as a starting point, constructing both audio and visual elements inspired by an important early moment in our relationship. That time, as we lay in my room playing "Love My Way" off of the computer, when we both pointed out the same favorite part, and that became part of our story.
LISTENING PARTY NO. 4
BWBW FEATURING GENEVA SKEEN
Artist book and cassette containing images and original sound compositions from artist.
Edition of 50 with fold out poster.
Cassette contents:
Side A:
'Driving Through The Countet' | Geneva Skeen
Side B:
'Like Love & Romance' | BWBW
CONTRIBUTOR
GENEVA SKEEN
Geneva Skeen is an interdisciplinary artist working in Los Angeles. Influenced heavily by écriture féminine, alchemical metaphors, and a mix of musical traditions ranging from holy mysticism to industrial, Skeen composes with field recordings, digital presets, mixed voice and instrumentation, and both found and filmed video. Her recordings and performances focus on the contrast between facing finite resources of our physical landscapes and their infinite digital representations. Her solo and collaborative works have been presented at REDCAT, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, on the rooftop of The Standard Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, and on the façade of the Armory building in Long Beach, California, amongst others. Her debut, Dark Speech, was released with Dragon’s Eye Recordings in 2016. She is a member of VOLUME, a curatorial collective focused on sound-based practices.
genevaskeen.com
released April 10, 2018