Sonic Weavings are a series of copper wire textiles that pick up the electromagnetic fields of the environment and amplify them to create a sonic experience. It inserts the visitor in a continuous, unified soundscape through the demodulation of electromagnetic waves. The tones oscillate depending on the movement of the bodies inside the room, and the electronic devices they carry. In a second phase, granular synthesis is applied to these sounds through the use of computer programming.
In this series of works I have used copper wire as a physical translator and an affective carrier of history. By amplifying the electromagnetic waves captured by this highly conductive material, I hope to create a sense of unmasking the spaces of exile. For generations, my family has been made up of immigrants - first as Syrian immigrants to Chile, then as Chilean refugees in Canada. From this, I was born in this exile. I am the voice of the expatriates and was born without a sense of belonging; therefore, I find comfort within intangible spaces.
In Exile Damask, I was trying to communicate the story of my grandmother Fatima, who was the daughter of a Syrian family living in Chile, and her father Mustafa, who made a living selling textiles in the outskirts of Rancagua, Chile. In Desaparecidos, I wish to pay homage to the many people who disappeared during Augusto Pinochet’s regime in Chile from 1973-1991 and the reason why my family had to seek refuge in Canada. Living in Canada, I have been able to share this experience with many first-generation Canadians. As a result, in 2017, I collaborated with artist Kiran Bhumber on the piece Phulkari, which was exhibited for her graduation performance at the The Duderstadt Video Studio at the University of Michigan.
Soledad Fátima Muñoz