"Akio Suzuki and Aki Onda came to perform les ateliers claus mid March 2015, which we remember very well. Our venue was made as empty as possible so the artists have a maximum amount of space to perform, but also the electricity was cut in all places where possible. Total silence and darkness was obtained for a maximum amount of intensity. The audience surrounded Akio Suzuki and Aki Onda - while they used the surroundings for their sounds.
Both Akio Suzuki and Aki Onda live at least one ocean away from les ateliers claus, but we consider them as a part of our home."
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Recorded by Christophe Albertijn
Mixed by Aki Onda
A legendary Japanese sound artist, Akio Suzuki has been performing, building instruments, and presenting sound installations for nearly 40 years. His music is simple and pure, exploring how natural atmospheres and sounds can be harnessed and then set free. To experience his art is to lose oneself in the sound that surrounds us. Akio performs on a range of unique self-made instruments including Analapos – an instrument he invented in the 1970s that creates echoes through the acoustic transmissions of a spiral cord stretched between two metal cylinders, De Koolmees - consisting of hollow glass tubes suspended over a frame, and an ancient stone flute (Iwabue) passed down through his family for many generations. Akio has collaborated with artists such as Toru Takemitsu, Takehisa Kosugi, Derek Bailey, Peter Brötzmann, Steve Lacy and John Butcher.
Films by Helen Petts
Aki Onda is an electronic musician, composer, and visual artist. Aki was born in Japan and currently resides in New York. He is particularly known for his Cassette Memories project – works compiled from a “sound diary” of field-recordings collected by himself over a span of two decades. Aki’s musical instrument of choice is the cassette Walkman. Not only does he capture field recordings with the Walkman, he also physically manipulates multiple Walkmans with electronics in his performances. In recent years, Aki often works in interdisciplinary fields and collaborates with filmmakers, choreographers and visual artists. He has collaborated with artists such as Michael Snow, Ken Jacobs, Paul Clipson, Alan Licht, Loren Connors, Oren Ambarchi, Noël Akchoté, Jean-François Pauvros, Jac Berrocal, Lionel Marchetti, Linda Sharrock, and Blixa Bargeld.
