Gabi Schaffner.
Photo Credit: Tina-Marie Friedrich
Gabi Schaffner works as a trans-disciplinary artist within the realms of radio art, composition and performance. Her artistic practice is determined by the methods of poetic ethnography in connection with fluxus-like mise-en-scènes, radio-making and sound art performances. Much of her work originates from journeys. Next to her radiophonic productions, Schaffner creates speculative musical genres and inserts them into music history in order to raise awareness for cultural, gender-related and/or geographical conditions.
Since 2005 Schaffner has been realising award-winning productions with Deutschlandfunk Kultur, radia.fm, Hessian Cultural Radio and ABC Australia.
Since 2012 she maintains “Datscha Radio”, a nomadic transmission project that links the medium of radio to current ecological issues.
As a writer and translator she has published numerous texts; most recently: "RevoltenDiaries", in: Radio Revolten, 2019. She holds a MA in literature and ethnography and a diploma in visual communication. She lives (mostly) in Berlin
Website: www.schaffnerin.net
Rapid(S)Train
Location: York Street Station
Photo Credit: Gabi Schaffner
Playing on the sonic similarity of fast flowing/ falling waters and the sound of trains rushing by, “RAPID(S)TRAIN” combines selected recordings of German and other international train stations with recordings of rivers, waterfalls and oceanscapes. Central to the compositions are concepts of flowing, passing by, announcements, the din of voices, steps and trolley bags, the interplay of distance and locality. Both water and rail are part of the global system of transporting goods; they are as much linked to economy as they are to personal and sensual experience. Train stations form a re-sounding universe with past and presence rushing into an off-site future.
Each piece creates a fictional journey with York Street station as its departure point. The combination of real-time field recording and samples, layering, acceleration and deceleration corresponds to the juxtaposition of microsound and melody, noise, language and signal. All four works have been specifically composed for SLEEPERTOWN.
Info and Credits:
Underpass Falls (Melbourne, London Kensington, Bremen, Skogarfoss Falls) Concert Recording, Berlin: Ansgar Wilken (Cello), Ruth-Maria Adam (Violin)
Gutang Passing Time (Taipei Metro Station Gutang, Shortwave recording, Hualien Beach, Gudurfoss Falls)
Condofuri Brass (Vinyl record “Eisenbahnclub Köln” 1964, Condofuri Station, Condofuri Beach, Acireale: “Banda Historica” Brass Orchestra, Skogarfoss Falls)
Waving to Elevators (Berlin, Hamburg, Cacilhas/Lisbon, Oldenburg, Vienna, Frankfurt/Main, Azhimuhkam Beach