Białowieża
Izabela Dłużyk & Chris Watson

Unsound New York and Pioneer Works team up to present Białowieża, a sound installation of frield recordings made in Europe's last remaining primeval forest by Izabela Dłużyk & Chris Watson

Izabela Dłużyk is a Polish nature sound recordist. Born blind, Dłużyk developed interest in birds and began to record bird noises at the age of 12. Her specific sensitivity to birdsong has since grown into a wide-ranging artistic practice. Last year BBC World broadcast a documentary about Dłużyk during which she noted “humans focus more on visual aspects. When observing birds, we mainly think about photography. We identify species based on their appearance rather than their sounds. When I listen not only to birds, but also to trees, I simply feel in the right place, with a sense of the deepest meaning of existence.”

At Unsound New York 2024 she will present a new installation work Białowieża in collaboration with noted British sound artist and field recordist Chris Watson. This newly commissioned installation premiered at Unsound’s sister festival Ephemera in Warsaw earlier this year. It is based on field recordings made in Puszcza Białowieska – Europe's last remaining primeval forest, on the border between Poland and Belarus. In recent times, the forest has become a contentious place, initially due to logging and since late 2021, scores of migrants from Africa, the Middle East and South Asia have attempted to go through the forest and cross from Belarus into Poland and the European Union. Many have died within the forest attempting to make the crossing or they’ve been pushed back by Polish guards. This has resulted in migrants being trapped and dying within the forest. Additionally, a metal wall has been constructed, dividing the forest, which has become a symbol of wider geopolitical tensions. This intense location provides the grounding for Białowieża. The natural and unnatural sounds of the forest have therefore taken on newer more shadowy layers of meaning.

Chris Watson is one of the UK's most celebrated sound recordists. Not only was he a founding member of Sheffield's influential Cabaret Voltaire and The Hafler Trio, but he's been developing his ear for field recording since the early '80s, working extensively for the BBC on numerous nature shows. As a solo artist, he's helped figure out a space between documentary and fantasy, collaborating with artists like BJ Nilsen, Z'EV, KK Null and Philip Jeck. One of his longest collaborations has been with David Attenborough.

In New York, Białowieża will be presented in the form of an installation. The project was commissioned by Unsound, Atonal, Semibreve and Sónar as part of the TIMES Platform. The installation will also be free of charge.

Unsound New York

Taking place from November 14 to 17, the New York edition of Unsound includes three nights at Lincoln Center, partnerships with Pioneer Works and Dripping, and a program spanning experimental, electronic, avant-pop and club music. To make Unsound New York accessible, events are mostly free or Choose What You Pay.

Acts appearing include: Chris Watson & Izabela Dłużyk present Białowieża / Kali Malone presents All Life Long / Mabe Fratti / Piotr Kurek / Raphael Rogiński feat. Jim White & Amirtha Kidambi / Sunn O))) + more...

Unsound New York first took place in 2010 with major acclaim from press and fans alike. The festivals broad remit to combine live events with club events, the known with the unknown, and to include a good number of under-exposed (at that time) Polish and Eastern European acts was a winner. The Sunday New York Times declared ‘Hello, New York: Avant Garde Eastern Europe’ with a full-page feature that included festival co-founder Mat Schulz noting “The fact that (Unsound is) coming from Krakow in a sense makes it more interesting. It’s not what you would expect, and it makes a comment about the way that culture now doesn’t necessarily come from these precise points you’d think it would come from. That’s what this festival is about as well: disrupting preconceived notions of a lot of different types, not only about what a country or a city is, or what cultural centers are, but also what music is and how different kinds of music can be connected. That’s really at the heart of the whole enterprise.” This fortunately remains true for this year’s edition of Unsound New York.

It's easy to see that a wider range of Polish and Eastern European artists have emerged into a stronger and wider light thanks in part to the ongoing influence of Unsound in Krakow, Poland and beyond. Unsound has also moved beyond the festival releasing a book, more offshoot events, and more recently a record label.

The majority of this year’s events at Unsound New York are either free or low-cost, making it easy for adventurous listeners to come experience something new!