Siaf | Lilladag

Seed of an urban tree

Sayuri Hayashi, Hannes Egnell, Hanna Bylund

- Gold Award at Urban Soundscape Competition by Ryuichi Sakamoto at Sapporo International Art Festival 2014 -

This sound piece expresses the image of a seed sown in the city as opens its eyes, grows and matures into a tall tree. At times you can hear a wood nymph chatting. The piece expresses the voice of the seed which, even through harsh seasons and conditions, receives the blessing of water and sunlight and little by little goes on developing. We have a music studio in Stockholm called Eson Studio, which is where we created the piece. The three of us actually walked through the woods in Sweden gathering natural sounds (such as water, wind, leaves, branches, grass, bird calls, etc.) which are used in the song. As a sound installation utilizing ambient sounds, we aimed to create a piece that can be touched with the ears and float an image to the mind's eye when played.

Commentary by Ryuichi Sakamoto

This piece was full of attractive aspects that made me want to give it the Grand Prix. While the artist is Japanese she lives in Sweden, so perhaps that is why the whole piece gives off the feel of the Northern landscape. The listener almost feels as if they are in the middle of the forest.

Sapporo International Art Festival in Sapporo, Japan

Urban Soundscape Competition (web)

2014.7.19 - 2014.9.28

The Creative City Sapporo International Art Festival Executive Committee issued a worldwide invitation for submissions of sound files representing the SIAF 2014 theme that are suitable for reproduction in urban public spaces. The 578 works have been submitted from around the world. SIAF 2014 Guest Director Ryuichi Sakamoto has reviewed all submissions impartially and thoroughly and chosen one Grand Prix, one Golden Award and four Silver Awards. The Grand Prix work (sound logo) is played at SIAF 2014 sites in the city during the festival. And the top 6 works (Long Version) are played at the entrance of the Former Sapporo Court of Appeals (a.k.a. Shiryokan).

札幌国際芸術祭2014のテーマを象徴し、都市の公共空間にふさわしい音の作品を募集した国際コンペティション「Urban Soundscape Competition (都市空間のサウンドコンペティション)」で、金賞を受賞、札幌国際芸術祭2014に出品した音楽作品。ディレクターの坂本龍一氏が厳正に審査を行い「seed of an urban tree」が金賞作品として選出された。都市の公共空間にまかれたひとつの種が、木になっていくまでの様子を表現した作品。ストックホルムの森でフィールドレコーディングし、風や水の音を集めた。また、歌手Hanna Bylund の声を使って種の声を表現。芸術祭開催期間中、エントランスとなる札幌資料館にて授賞者６グループの音楽作品と共に展示され、繰り返し流された。