Shrink is an intriguing exhibition by artist Lawrence Malstaf that was on show at the Abandon Normal Devices festival in Manchester in October 2010. Abandon Normal Devices is a major regional festival of new cinema and digital culture already in its second year and driven by an exciting new partnership between three of the UK’s leading institutions dealing with art and digital culture (FACT, Cornerhouse & Folly). The inaugral Abandon Normal Devices festival is running until 2012 and possibly beyond.


Here is some video footage of Shrink at the Abandon Normal Devices exhibiton and an interview with one of the participants:

TO BE SHRUNK! from Sarah Miles on Vimeo.

Here is a description of the work:
Two large, transparent plastic sheets and a device that gradually sucks the air out from between them leave the body [...] vacuum-packed and vertically suspended. The transparent tube inserted between the two surfaces allows the person inside the installation to regulate the flow of air. As a result of the increasing pressure between the plastic sheets, the surface of the packed body gradually freezes into multiple micro-folds. For the duration of the performance the person inside moves slowly and changes positions, which vary from an almost embryonic position to one resembling a crucified body.(from www.fortlaan17.com

For further information about Lawrence Malstaf on this website, please visit Malstaf, Lawrence – Info

To see more of Lawrence Malstaf’s work, please visit www.fortlaan17.com

For further details of the Abandon Normal Devices festival, please visit www.andfestival.org.uk

This is the first of several features on composers whose work has been a part of Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival this year. Edward Caine’s piece, Madrigale II: Qu’est devenu ce bel oeil was performed by Nieuw Ensemble on Monday 22nd November at St Paul’s Hall, Huddersfield (for details about the rest of the programme, click here). Although we don’t have a recording of this piece in performance, we do have one of Edward’s other pieces, [squeezeBox]². Enjoy…

©Copyright 2010 Edward Caine

See below for Edward’s programme note for this piece:

[squeezeBox]² for two Accordions by Edward Caine
Premiere performance by TOEAC Accordion Duo, Cheltenham Festival 14/7/10

This piece was commissioned by Sound and Music and Cheltenham Festival. While writing it I was given a trip to Copenhagen, where the performers are studying at the DKDN (Danish conservatoire of music). Apologies for the poor quality of the video.

Other ideas I explored in the piece are the beating produced by having a “tone gliss” in one hand and keeping the note steady in the other – a beautifully clear rhythmic idea which I use in canon in the piece, and logical extensions of the “bellow shake” and “vibrato” techniques. The title [squeezeBox]2 refers to a british colloquialism for accordion that evokes to me both the bellow motion at the heart of the pieces structure and also the sweet but troubled nature of the material, something I associate with the gentle evocations of a homeless person on the side of the street playing an old broken accordion.

If you would like to see/hear more of Edward’s work and to find out about news/upcoming performances, please visit www.edwardcaine.com

You can also find out more about Edward on The Medium of at: Caine, Edward – Info

Finally, you can follow Edward through the following social networks:

Edward Caine on facebook
Edward Caine on twitter
Edward Caine on YouTube
Edward Caine on Sound Cloud