As part of the Bourses de la Ville de Genève 2023, artist Salômé Guillemin-Pœuf presents 50 Hertz, a drone music performance consisting of an ensemble of neon lights and ceramics amplified by pedal effects.

Entirely analog, the installation relies on the buzz of the 50 Hz frequency produced by domestic electrical power: the electromagnetic radiation from the neon lights is picked up by the ceramics, producing interference on the sound signal and leads to various modulations.

The conductive and insulating properties of the earths and glazes used produce a raw sound material that can be shaped by a repertoire of gestures and contacts around the ceramics. Each artefact has its own repertoire of movements and sounds, enabling different sound pieces to be proposed.

This performance is in line with the practice of drone music, a musical genre made up of a succession of continuous sounds that create a sensory experience that encourages introspection. The composition and the various layers held over time reveal harmonics, interference and beats between frequencies. They contribute to reflections on the extent of listening, on physical experience, and on sound in its bareness and mass.

Image: Salômé Guillemin-Poeuf, Cercco, 2019. Photo: Jean-Baptiste Coulon