CT[Lab]
Meta.Morf 2024 – [up]Loaded Bodies / Trondheim Kunstmuseum / Performance May 11 @ 12:00 – 16:00. Ticket.
CT[Lab] #4:
Entwining the Unloaded Reality of Harmonic Bodies (2024)
Ulf A.S. Holbrook, Arne Borgan, Arnfinn Killingtveit, Martin Palmer
The [CT]Lab project, initiated in 2011, is a collaboration between the electro-acoustic improvisational duos Cloudbuilder (Oslo) and TARFIELD (Trondheim), featuring Arne Borgan, Ulf A. S. Holbrook, Martin Palmer, and Arnfinn Killingtveit. Known for their experimental, free-form, long-duration concerts, the group adopts the persona of ‘doctors’ conducting a sonic experiment, tailoring their performances to the unique sonic qualities of each space.
For their performance at Meta.Morf 2024, [CT]Lab presents the site-specific work “Entwining the Unloaded Reality of Harmonic Bodies” at Trondheim Art Museum. In this performance, they will intricately weave their soundscapes with the themes, narratives, and aesthetic elements of the museum’s art collection. Crafted to do more than simply coexist with the art, their performance aims to actively engage with and offer reflections on the displayed works. This creates a dynamic interaction between auditory and visual experiences, underscoring the contrasts and interconnections among virtual ecstasy, digital embodiment, and the tangible aspects of artistic expression.
The essence of their approach lies in free-form improvisation, with each member contributing to a collective, multi-layered exploratory space. This environment emphasizes not individual sounds or performers but a rich tapestry of diverse expressions and sonic pathways, mirroring the variety and depth found in the museum’s artworks and subtly alluding to the themes of digital tangibility and the materiality of our technological extensions.
Every session, including this performance at Meta.Morf 2024 is thoroughly documented through audio, video, and photographs, aiming to produce a comprehensive documentary boxset. After a decade-long hiatus, the group is returning to the sonic experimentation scene, bringing their distinctive approach to new spaces and audiences. Designed to envelop the museum’s first floor, this performance promises to create an immersive auditory environment that will persist throughout the museum’s opening hours, interweaving the narrative of our digital and physical coexistence, in a world where the lines between virtual aspirations and corporeal realities are increasingly blurred.
Ulf A. S. Holbrook (NO) is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher working with sound in a variety of media, including composition, improvisation, installation, programming, text, and research; with a specific interest in the representation of place and space through spatial audio, recording technologies, geo-spatial methods and software. He studied sculpture at the Glasgow School of Art and music technology at the University of Limerick and holds a Ph.D. in music technology from the University of Oslo. He currently works as an acoustic consultant.
Arne Borgan (NO) is an artist and musician working in the field between art, sound, and experimental music. He creates exhibitions, performs concerts, and has released a solo record on Case Records and Tipi Token Records. He works with analog modular synthesizers, electro-acoustic soundscapes, and field recordings. Previously, he has released music with and performed in the constellations ARM and Cloudbilder.
Arnfinn Killingtveit (NO) is a person, born, raised, and still living in Trondheim together with his cat. Formed by a mix of impulses both from academia and various underground music scenes, his various expressions are all over the place, and can differ hugely from project to project. Often, but not always, his sonic palette includes various forms of experimental styles, like electro-acoustic pling plong and noise, but he is not a stranger to more beat-driven electronic stuff either. Humor definitely got a central place in his creative world too, as can be witnessed especially in his live performances, whether it be playful interactions with the audience, or shamelessly combining highbrow contemporary styles with folksy dansband hits.
He sometimes composes gigs for various things, like dance and theater, and semi-regularly plays live with different bands and projects (Arnfinn’s, TARFIELD, Swamps Up Nostrils, Nordheimgruppen, and others). From time to time, he does the occasional art thing, like pickling electronics, pretending to be a moose, or making artificial stupidity installations. Sometimes he involves himself in events or festivals here and there in various ways, as a planner, advisor, “playlist jockey,” performer, helping hand, or whatever.
Martin Palmer (NO) is a Trondheim-based artist whose work explores themes of time, memory, and place. He integrates reality and fiction in his art using archival techniques and soundscapes.
As a sound artist, Palmer is active in projects such as TARFIELD and Seidmen, showcasing his commitment to the auditory aspects of art. His practice often involves collaboration, allowing his work to adapt to various contexts and settings. Palmer has a strong affinity for installations and multimedia projects, blending different artistic elements to create immersive experiences.
Additionally, Palmer is a member of artist networks like Origami Republika and North Cultitude 6263, reflecting his engagement with the wider art community and collaborative art endeavors.