Fréquences nocturnes n°3

50 Hertz by Salômé Guillemin and extended opening of the exhibition Embodied Sounds: Frequencies in Resonance 50 Hertz is composed of an ensemble of neon lights and ceramics amplified by effects. The fully analogue device relies on the hum of the 50 Hz frequency from the domestic electrical current: the electromagnetic radiation of the neon lights produces interference on the sound signal held in the ceramics, and makes various modulations audible. This parasitic hum, which is usually imperative to suppress, here defines a palette of frequencies and a timbre specific to electricity, and unfolds in a composition that is more sensory than musical. The performance and its setup belong to a practice of drone music, a musical genre made of successions of continuous sounds that create a sensory experience inviting introspection. The composition and the various sustained drones over time reveal harmonics, interferences and beats between frequencies. They contribute to reflection on the extent of listening, on physical perception, as well as on sound in its nudity and its mass.