Suikinkutsu (2017) - 14’51’’
Audio Live recording
Live performance 8 sine oscillators and field recordings
Audio Live recording
Live performance 8 sine oscillators and field recordings
A suikinkutsu (translated from Japanese as "water koto cave") is a jar buried in the Japanese garden that makes sound generated by water dripping. Maia was very surprised to discover this amazing ‘music instrument’ while she was performing sound research in Japan during the month of November 2017. That discovery took place at the Inarikio Shrine, a very quiet spot in the heart of the busy Shinjuku in Tokyo.
The suikinkutsu is usually built next to a traditional Japanese stone basin for washing hands and the ‘device’ is hidden from the view. Pleasant sounds are coming from the underground. The clear and pure sound of water droplets is considered relaxing and soothing, a very appropriate sound to promote a state of calmness. The suikinkutsu at the Inarikio Shrine provides a bamboo tube nearby to amplify the beautiful and soothing sounds.
During the Edo period, it was very common to place a suikinkitsu as a musical instrument in the garden of the house.
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Inarikio Shrine. Shinjuku,Tokyo, Japan Nov 2017
During her stay in Tokyo, Maia had the pleasure to be invited to perform a piece she had created out of the recorded sounds of the suikinkutsu. The performance took place at the candle shop Haze (haze.jp/) where the artist Fumiko Nakajima (www.art-fumi.com/) was showing her artworks during The 5th Kura and Contemporary Art Exhibition - Resonating Space in Kawagoe, Japan. (kuratogendaibijutu.web.fc2.com/index.html).
The suikinkutsu is usually built next to a traditional Japanese stone basin for washing hands and the ‘device’ is hidden from the view. Pleasant sounds are coming from the underground. The clear and pure sound of water droplets is considered relaxing and soothing, a very appropriate sound to promote a state of calmness. The suikinkutsu at the Inarikio Shrine provides a bamboo tube nearby to amplify the beautiful and soothing sounds.
During the Edo period, it was very common to place a suikinkitsu as a musical instrument in the garden of the house.
Inarikio Shrine. Shinjuku,Tokyo, Japan Nov 2017
During her stay in Tokyo, Maia had the pleasure to be invited to perform a piece she had created out of the recorded sounds of the suikinkutsu. The performance took place at the candle shop Haze (haze.jp/) where the artist Fumiko Nakajima (www.art-fumi.com/) was showing her artworks during The 5th Kura and Contemporary Art Exhibition - Resonating Space in Kawagoe, Japan. (kuratogendaibijutu.web.fc2.com/index.html).
Suikinkutsu, Inarikio Shrine. Shinjuku,Tokyo Nov 2017
Life performance recorded at Haze, Kawagoe-Tokyo, Japan. 23 November 2017. Remastered 4 December 2017, Den Haag, Nederland.