Simon Whetham 'Active Crossover' 2009

'Active Crossover' is a term referring to speaker construction , meaning that the speaker is transmitting sound information consistently and accurately. I feel this to be a perfect title for the project I am running, as will become clear from my explanation.

In October 2008, I joined a group of UK-based performance artists (ProtoPlay Collective) in a residency in Tallinn, Estonia, as guests of the Non Grata collective. On my return to the UK, I received an invitation to return to Tallinn as Artist-in-Residence at the Polymer Factory Culturehouse, which I duly accepted.

In addition to creating new work, I presented work and practices; ran listening, field recording and composition workshops; and along with John Grzinich, provided a live sound accompaniment to a performance by renowned Estonian artist Peeter Allik.

John Grzinich also invited me to perform at an event arranged by Moks at the Y-Gallery in Tartu, alongside Jez riley French (UK field recording artist) who was in residence at Moks (in Mooste, Estonia) through May. John, Jez and I also travelled to Riga, Latvia, to perform for a radio station and an event arranged by Maksim Shentelev.

From the beginning, I saw the residency as an opportunity to work with other artists, exchanging ideas and theories, with a view to exhibiting the results in the UK on my return.

The exhibition takes the form of a sound installation comprising two enclosed sound chambers. In one you will hear my composition created during and following the residency, in the other I will present work by the artists mentioned above, as well as pieces created during the composition workshop I ran. When outside the enclosed spaces, the listener will hear both, combining my work with that of the guest artists.

I have been given exhibition space in the Dark Studio at Arnolfini in Bristol from 1st to 18th October 2009, which will feature as part of 'All Around You', a season of events concerning the use of sound, and field recordings, in art. The season begins with a performance by Francisco Lopez, one of the best known artists using field recordings, on the 18th September. The season ends with a presentation and performance from Jacob Kirkegaard on 7th November.

The opening night of the ‘Active Crossover' exhibition (1st October) will also include performances by John Grzinich , Jez riley French and Maksim Shentelev.

There will also be a closing event on 18th October, featuring artists Douglas Benford (si-cut.db) whom I met with while in Tallinn to discuss my project, and Iris Garrelfs, who runs Sprawl events with Douglas. I will also be inviting a number of local artists, and all artists will then submit work to include in the installation, continuing the ‘crossover'.

The exhibition will go on to be shown in other galleries, the first being Grey Area Gallery in Brighton to exhibit throughout January 2010.