The 5th Vital Sounding Festival is coming to Shanghai! The second stop in its three date tour around China, the event will feature 8 solos from experimental musicians: JunY Ciao, Maimai, Sun Wei, Terence LLoren, Xiang, Xu Cheng, Yin Yi, and Yan Jun. The event will be held in the newly reopened Rockbund Art Museum among John Armleder's current exhibit. Performances will include improvised feedback solos, interactive field recordings, sound manipulation, storytelling, and acoustic and electric instruments. A little bit of noise, a little bit of quiet.

As its name implies, it’s a vessel of vitality and motivation, although it has always been insisting on keeping it tiny. While the majority are trapped in the dilemma of being swallowed up by consumer culture, keep it tiny seems to be both a rule to settle one’s body and life down and a helpless choice. But why can't tiny things gather huge energy? Or shine? A single spark can start a prairie fire.

After a year-long renovation, RAM reopened it to public just last month and John Armleder’s solo is the first exhibition presented at its renewed space. To us, it comes as quite a pleasant surprise and honor that Vital is so well-suited to happen here in juxtaposition with John Armleder's works. For one reason, John Armleder is an unconventional artist who always welcomes accidents and cultivates a constant openness. Taking place right inside his exhibition, Vital attempts to forge a spiritual connection and dialogue with his art under a different context. Moreover, the gallery space on the fourth floor, where Vital is going to take place, is covered fully with mirror reflection. In such a space, all shielding and decoration become pointless and powerless, offering visitors a stage for self-examination. This is exactly what we expect - a completely equal encounter, simple and straightforward.

Eight solos. Why eight? It's a coincidence, and it's God's will. The number "eight" indicates a sense of integrity in our tradition. It is said that the Four Forms generate the Eight Diagrams. Eight individuals, eight different directions. Although the directions vary, everyone present is at the center of energy accumulation and finally forms a holistic energy field. Solo represents a clear state and emphasizes the uniqueness of all directions.

In such a penetrating scene, we don't have any superb skills and exquisite cooperation to show. We don't even perform. All we want to do is to be honest. Can a single spark start a prairie fire? We do not have empirical evidence. Nor do we need to make overly optimistic assumptions. But even a spark, tiny as it is, can shine and cannot be ignored. (Jun-Y Ciao)

Theme: 8 Solos

Artists: Jun-Y Ciao, Mai Mai, Sun Wei, Terence LLoren, Xiang, Xu Cheng, Yan Jun, Yin Yi

Time: 8:30pm, November 13th, 2021

Address: 4th Floor, Rockbund Art Museum ( No.20 Huqiu Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai ), ticket checking on the first floor

Ticket: 108 rmb ( scan the code below or click "阅读原文" to buy the ticket )

8 Solos:

Mai Mai: one song

Yin Yi: Pushead

Sun Wei: Modified laptop feedback

Xiang: isle

JunY Ciao: Plastic Answers

Yan Jun: feedback solo

Terence: 'Generations' Shanghai Ferry

Xu Cheng: Tour

Terence LLoren is a sound recordist based in Shanghai.

Works:

'Generations'Shanghai Ferry

Generation

Noun

'Generations' is a project that uses field recordings and analog tape to create sonic abstractions of a particular place through repeated improvised performance. Each performance is recorded, reused, and added to, creating a 'Generation'. The eventual result is a complex layered abstraction built on the original DNA of each previous Generation. A hybrid digital/analog instrument was assembled and programmed over two years to facilitate this generation process. This performance contains recordings I have made from all of the current Shanghai Ferry crossings. The earliest recording is from the Chongming Ferry dating back to 2009 before the Yangtze River bridge and tunnel were completed. The majority of the recordings were made over the past few months in preparation for this performance. The performance you will see is the same process used to create every Generation.

Film director, experimental musician

1982 Born in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province

2006 Graduated from Shanghai Theater Academy

Works and lives in Shanghai

Nine years ago, MAI MAIformed a noise rock band "Muscle snog"，be vocal, guitarist and song-writer. Since 2008 he started running anexperimental music plat-form: "R.E.S.O.", in same year, hecommenced his personal experimental music project using this pseudonym"MAI MAI". During these last five years, "R.E.S.O." has presented more than 20 concerts, and became the most important stage for Chineseand oversea musicians.

As a filmmaker,MAI MAI had made many short film and video works. In 2013,his short film "Four Cowardswas" selected by the 43th Tampere International Short FilmFestival (International Competition Section).

Works:

One Song

Artist and sound worker, creation based between field and site, involving field-based ambient recordings, acoustic electronics, compositions, and the creation of site-specific sound installations. He often focuses on listening to and observing the vibrations of different sonic media and environments and tries to blur the boundaries between them.

Works:

Ambient feedback electronic improvisation, laptops, amplifiers, clutter, passing time and an uncertain audience.

Xiang, born in Chengdu in 1984. A dj and a musician, creating electronic music, field recording, electroacoustic composition. Practicing art projects which combine sound, body and performance.

Works:

Isle

using pre-recorded composition, vocal and body.

(b.1980) is a sound artist based in Shanghai and a practitioner and organizer of sound activities. He was a member of Harsh-noise group TORTURING NURSE. He dabbles in experimental music, improvisation, electronic music and so forth. Apart from the music ontology, Xu is also interested in the interaction between sound and social spaces and its behaviors and manifestations. Xu works with varied forms of sound art: installations, experimental music, performances and theatre.

Works:

TourLieh-tzu was learning the TAO from Huqiu-tzu. After nine years, his eyes were no different with his ears, his ears were no different with his nose, his nose was no different with his mouth, and his mouth was no different with anything else. So he traveled by the wind to a city. Lieh-tzu's journey never reached the border, definitely not, and he was still far, far away from the Pedestrian street. Just imagining a part of the Pedestrian street now would make Lieh-tzu feel tired, and he could not imagine anything but people. Even if the way to fly there did not get lost, flying to the Pedestrian street will certainly get lost, because it is too big, trying not to get lost is impossible, and Lieh-tzu also does not have a flight license.

mainly working on field recording, live performance and electroacoustic composition. his works are always simple. sometimes performing body movements with or without sound.yanjun.org

Works:

Feedback solo always picky on the electricity system of the venue as my equipment are not professional enough. the result is i haven't perform this often. and this time i'd try desperately.it's about using body movements to influence feedback noise. perhaps there are 25% chance to control it. each room, each sound system and each electricity system would result different sound. sometimes i'm crazy about it. that makes me think "wtf is improvisation?" and "isn't it a challenge you asked for？"

Musician/artist/curator. Work and live in Shanghai.

In 1998, YIN Yi formed the slowcore band Dead Poets Society, as bassist and lead singer. In 2001, he turned to digital music. In early music career, his range of work includes live music performance, contemporary dance and physical theatre. In recent years, YIN Yi focuses his work on laptop music performance and the function of music in society.Based on the in-depth thinking and research on Sound and Listening, Yin Yi’s intermedia art work includes sound, video, performance and installation which focus on perception, identity, body, culture and medially.For him, art is a way of self cure and a touchstone for thinking and action.

Works:

Pusheadusing acoustic instrument recording, white noise filtering

artist, lives in Shanghai, founder of independent art institution "Where is the Zeitgeist?" - Editing Office

Works:

Plastic Answers. It is a piece which should be finished by the audiences and me together. It is very simple. I give the questions and the audiences give the answers with plastic.

Vital is a site-specific project which was founded in Chengdu in 2017. At the moment the Sounding Festival is held once a year, with different themes. It is related to experimental music, media such as sound, video and body mainly in concert form but sometimes in small exhibitions, workshops, and other cooperative outlets.

Vital来上海了！正如它的名字所蕴含的，一种生命力，一种动力，尽管它一直坚持保持一个微小的状态。在四处被消费文化吞噬的困境中，保持微小似乎是一种安身立命的法则，也是迫于无奈的选择，但是微小东西何尝不能聚集巨大的能量？不能闪光？是谓，星星之火可以燎原。

适逢上海外滩美术馆修葺一新，迎来首展。在约翰·阿姆莱徳的作品中发生vital实在是太契合了。一者，约翰·阿姆莱徳是一位不拘一格，无视常规的前辈艺术家，我们可以把他看作典型的非主流艺术家。vital在他的展览中发生呈现了不同时代背景下的一种精神关联；二者，在vital即将发生的四楼的展厅中，镜面的反射被布满整个空间，一切遮挡和修饰都变得虚伪和无力，构成了一个自视自省的舞台。这正是我们期待的，一种赤裸裸地平等相遇。

8 Solos，八个独奏。为何是八个？是机缘巧合，也未尝不是天意。"八"这个数字，在我们的传统中，包含了一种整体性。是谓，四象生八卦。八个个体，八个不同的方向。虽然各不相同，但是在场的所有人都在这个能量积聚的中心，最终形成一个整体性的能量场。而独奏，代表了一种明确的状态，更呈现和强调各个方位的唯一性。

在这样一个犀利如刀的场景中，我们没有什么高超的技巧和精妙的配合可以展示，我们甚至不会表演，我们能做的只能是诚实相对。星星之火是否可以燎原？我们没有实证过，也无须做过于乐观的臆想，但是，哪怕是一粒火星，哪怕很微小，它也同样可以闪光，并且不容忽视。（照骏园）

主题：8 Solos

艺术家：罗天瑞，卖卖，孙玮，响，徐程，颜峻，殷漪，照骏园

时间：2021年11月13号，晚上八点半

地点：上海外滩美术馆四楼（上海市黄浦区虎丘路20号），请先到一楼检票

门票：108元（扫描下方二维码或点击文末阅读原文购票）

卖卖：歌一首殷漪：Pushead孙玮：笔记本加料反馈响：岛照骏园：塑料回复颜峻：反馈独奏罗天瑞：‘Generations’ 上海轮渡徐程：导览

罗天瑞是一名工作在上海的录音师。

作品：

‘Generations’

上海轮渡

Generation

名词

1） （同一家族内的）一代人

2) 产生，发生。

Generations是一个采用现场录音和模拟磁带，通过重复的即兴演出创造特定地点抽象声音意境的项目。通过对每次演出的录音、重复使用和叠加来创造一个"Generation"。最终的产物则是一段建立在每个以往的Generation原始DNA之上的复杂、多层次的抽象意境。为了实现这一世代创造的过程，项目耗时两年组装、编程了一套数字/模拟混合设备。

本次演出包含了我在目前上海所有轮渡航线上完成的录音。最早的录音是2009年在崇明岛轮渡上录制的，当时长江大桥和隧道还未建成。而大部分的录音则是在过去几个月内为本次演出录制的。

每一个"Generation"都是通过演出的形式来创造的。

卖卖

编剧、导演，实验音乐乐手

1982年出生于江苏省徐州市

2006年毕业于上海戏剧学院戏文系

现居上海

2006年卖卖组建实验摇滚乐队Muscle Snog，任主唱/吉他手和词曲作者，乐队09年兵马司发行了首张专辑《mind shop》后解散。08年，卖卖开始运行即兴音乐组织"R.E.S.O.",同时开始以个人身份进行即兴音乐的尝试。

卖卖的影像创作以实验短片为主，2013年，短片作品《胆小鬼们》入围了欧洲三大短片电影节之一——芬兰坦佩雷电影节国际竞赛单元。2012年，短片作品《桃花源：厌世解决方案》入围了第十一届法国Signes de Nuit国际电影节，获国际竞赛单元night award奖。

作品：

歌一首

孙玮

艺术家、声音工作者，在实地和现场之间进行创作，涉及环境录音、电子即兴、作曲和特定场域的声音装置，并试图模糊之界限。www.sunweistudio.org

作品：

笔记本加料反馈，笔记本电脑、扩音器、杂物、流逝的时间和不确定的观众。

响

1984年生于成都。DJ，实验乐手。主要创作电子音乐、田野录音、电子原音作曲。实践结合声音、身体、表演的艺术项目。xiang.bandcamp.com

作品：

岛

使用预录作曲，人声，身体。

徐程

生活在上海的声音艺术家，声音活动实践者与组织者。他曾是噪音团体Torturing Nurse的主要成员之一，并涉足实验音乐、自由即兴、电子音乐等多个领域。于声音的本体论外，徐程也关注着声音与社会空间的相互关系与其相关行为与显现方式。其作品以视听表演、装置、音乐、剧场等多种形式呈现。

作品：

导览

列子学道于壶丘子。九年后，其眼如耳，耳如鼻，鼻如口，口无不同。遂御风而行，至一城市。列子的旅程从来不靠着边境，绝对不靠，这儿离步行街也还老远老远。仅仅想象一下现在步行街的一部分列子就会感到疲倦，而除了人，他就再也想象不出什么了。就算是飞去那里的路上没有迷路，飞到了步行街也肯定会迷路，由于它太大，想不陷进去是不可能的，况且列子也没有飞行执照。

颜峻

主要做田野录音、现场表演和电子作曲。作品很简单。有时候会做一些身体动作，不一定有声音（也不一定没有）。yanjun.org

作品：

反馈独奏

因为自己的设备不靠谱，所以对场地的电源比较挑剔，以至于很少演这个作品。这次决定无论如何都要试一下了。

主要是用身体的动作来影响反馈噪音。可控部分大概25%吧。每个房间、每组音响、每套电源都会有不同的结果，有时候自己也很抓狂，就开始思考"到底什么是即兴？""难道这不是自己想要的吗？"这样的问题。

殷漪

音乐家、艺术家、策划人。出生于上海。

1998年组建慢核乐队"死亡诗社"，贝司手兼主唱。2001年转向数字音乐创作。殷漪早期的音乐创作领域包括:音乐表演、现代舞、肢体剧场。近年来的音乐实践主要集中于个人现场音乐表演以及音乐在社会结构中的功能性探索。

基于对"聆听"与"声音"深度的思考和研究，殷漪展开其跨媒介的艺术创作,作品形式包括表演、声音、影像和装置。感知、身份、文化、媒介性成为其创作焦点。

对于他来说，艺术是自我治愈的良方，也是思考与行动的试金石。

作品：

Pushead

使用原声乐器录音，白噪滤波。

照骏园

艺术家，"时代精神在哪里？"编辑部编辑

作品：

塑料回复

这是一个和观众一起完成的作品。十分简单，我给出问题，观众用塑料回复我。