BUREAU DES BRUITS – Sound and Coloniality in Switzerland

L’Écurie, Geneva, Rue de Montbrillant 14, 1201 Geneva  | Pay what you can

Bureau des bruits looks at how we listen to sounds, music and the world around us. In Switzerland as elsewhere, dominant (or “white”) listening sets invisible rules. It chooses what to listen to, what to ignore and what to keep in the archives.

4–7 pm, workshop: sound & coloniality (registration encouraged)

This workshop offers shared listening and a collective discussion. In Switzerland, many actors (missionaries, scientists, entrepreneurs, artists) took part in colonial networks and in producing racist theories. Using concrete examples, we will reflect on how this legacy affects the field of sound today:

• How does this colonial past still shape the way we listen?
• Who has the right to speak, and who is really heard?
• How does racism show up in music and the art world?
• How does extractivism feed into the audio industry and the production of knowledge?
• How can we fight these phenomena, and what role can listening play?

Join in!
You are invited to bring your own texts, sounds, stories or performances. Together, we will question imposed silences and make listening a tool against racism.

8 pm, shared meal: Colombian-style vegetarian rice (pay what you can)

Cooked by Susana, who is also celebrating her birthday!

9 pm, Noise x Cumbia x Reggaeton: concerts + DJ

The evening programme, Noise x Cumbia x Reggaeton, includes three concerts and a DJ set. This musical part extends the afternoon’s exchanges: shared reflection becomes a sound experience.

Workshop registration: please email info@parastatal.art to sign up. If you like, briefly describe what you would like to share during the workshop (audio excerpt, text, testimony, short performance, etc.).

Participants

Gilles Aubry/YRLNG is a Swiss sound artist, musician and researcher. https://earpolitics.net/

Juan Fortun is a Colombian and Bolivian designer, radio maker and transdisciplinary researcher based in Geneva. https://juanfortun.ch/en

Balam Ronan is an experimental musician and sound artist based in Geneva. https://balamronan.net/

Juliana Santacruz is a Bern-based musician. Her practice includes percussion, performance, sound art and music education. https://www.julianasantacruz.com/

Organiser: Parastatal is a research platform dedicated to sound practice and artistic programming. https://parastatal.art/