neuMERZ
neuMERZ is a new music and media collective originally founded in Hannover, Germany and led by the composers-multimedia artists Philipp Henkel and Rachel C. Walker. Together, we take a critical, research-approach to composition and apply it to various projects: curating installations, multimedia concerts, and film, paying special attention to presenting innovative formats and perspectives on the contemporary music scene.
Our project draws on each of our combined strengths: acoustic and electroacoustic composition, visual rendering (Blender, C#, C++), instrument design and experimentation, historical research, and programming. Bringing these skill sets into direct dialogue with one another leads to artistic results with both theoretical and experimental gains.
neuMERZ has realized projects in collaboration with Musik21 Niedersachsen (Disrupted Chronologies – Jahresthema 2022: Radikale), the Deutscher Musikrat (Radiant8 Ensemble), Stiftung-Niedersachsen (Panopticon), Musikland Niedersachsen, and others. Recent projects include the 2022 concert season and tour of the Radiant8 Ensemble; Disrupted Chronologies, a multimedia concert and documentary project; and KOPFGERÄUSCHE, a concert tour of new works with a performance by the Berlin Japanese noise-improv duo Momose/Ishikawa.
In 2023, neuMERZ presented the dialogue-concert „al’thalj“ at the Württembergischer Kunstverein Stuttgart in collaboration with the Austrian ensemble airborne extended. A continued focus is now placed on the development of several ongoing curation projects: a long-term interdisciplinary collaboration spanning music, literature and film, connected to the life of the 20th century Taiwanese travel writer San Mao; and the multi-part installation OPTIKS: An Interactive Memory Factory.
IN FOKUS
As we traverse the creative landscape, we encounter remarkable talents who infuse their work with passion, vision, and unique perspectives. In each monthly installment, we unveil a new portrait: an artist whose brushstrokes, melodies, or words resonate with authenticity.
This month, our spotlight falls on Autumn Yunting Tsai, a Taiwanese writer whose words dance between realms. Tsai’s creative journey has woven threads through the fabric of neuMERZ, making her an indispensable collaborator. Tsai’s prose ignited the spark for our ongoing San Mao Artist Research project. Inspired by San Mao’s nomadic spirit, Tsai’s prose has been a compass through a labyrinth of possibilities.
In Fokus will continue to unravel the tapestry of creativity. Next month, another awaits. Until then, immerse yourself in Tsai’s work, and let her words carry you across borders.
CURRENT PROJECTS
OPTIKS
Saxony was the center of optics production in the former GDR, with companies such as Pentacon and Meyer-Görlitz serving as innovative leaders since the beginning of the fields of optics, lenses and photography. This high density of optics manufacturers in Saxony has also meant that other companies and institutions dealing with optics were able to establish themselves in Saxony (e.g. citizen-run star-observatories).
In Optiks, we will use original lenses produced by East German manufacturers as the primary building components and theoretical models for a mutli-part audio/visual installation drawing on our backgrounds as composers and multimedia artists.
GONE WITH THE RAINY SEASON
San Mao is an artistic research and film project focusing on the work of the 20th century travel writer San Mao.
Along with the writer and interdisciplinary artist Autumn Tsai and visual artist and film director Mooni Perry, we are using environmental storytelling to retrace the physical geographies of San Mao's travels while exploring aspects of her work through fantasy, video games, and sound art.
CONCEPTUALIZATION AND CREATION
In addition to our own curatorial work, we assist other actors across the free arts scene in organizing projects and creating new concert programs. By drawing upon our diverse experiences in management, design and multimedia arts, we help to connect the strands to bring projects to reality.
We assist with:
Project Conceptualization and Coordination
Technical Realization of Multimedia Projects
Visual and Intermedia Design Services
Management of Live Electronics (Klangregie)
Video and Audio Documentation
PROJECT REALIZATIONS
PARTNERS
Past concerts and productions have included concerts and presentations at WERKRAUM Göttingen, Galerie BOHAI, TAK Berlin, Württembergischer Kunstverein Stuttgart, Heimathafen Neukölln, Akademie Schloss Solitude, OSCO, et al.
neuMERZ has simultaneously collaborated with various ensembles across the contemporary music scene: Ensemble Radiant8, airborne extended, Momose/Ishikawa, Trio Klangspektrum, Ensemble Quarks, Ensemble Ascolta, et al.
