- Program Notes
- Since 2020 Puerto Rico has been experiencing constant power outages. A combination of a very old power grid, continuous damage caused by natural disasters and the lack of maintance by the first private company to take over the power grid, have made these Blackouts a part of the everyday life for a lot of people. Power generators have become a necessity and uncertainty a common sentiment.
The friction between LUMA Energy (an American-Canadian company) and Puerto Rico have become a parallel to the current colonial situation. From press conferences where they refuse to speak in Spanish or even have translators, white-savior complex attitude, to a virtual monopoly for what was supposed to create a competitive market, for many LUMA has become reminder of the status of the country.
This piece explores a lot of my own memories during those constant power outages. The complete blackouts where you could only hear the nature outside, the mechanical hum of all the nearby generators, the constant light flickering due to low voltage, and sudden bursts of light and sounds as the power would come back on momentarily.
All of this memories are examined through two proximity and movement sensors that I made. In the piece, the two sensors translate movement into light and sound. A small rotation or putting your hand in front of it, completely transforming the soundscape into sounds that I associate with those memories. Accompanied and enhanced by the rest of the ensemble, the sensors highlight the idea of proximity (to other people or human-ness) as a light source.
- Performer Credits
- TAK Ensemble
