Ptarmigan operated in Tallinn from 2011-2014. We no longer maintain any presence in Tallinn, but this website will continue to serve as an archive of the activities produced at Ptarmigan during these years.
klo 22 -> ???
Antarctica Starts Here
Ptarmigan presents 'Etelämanner alkaa tässä/Antarctica Starts Here', an all-night event of long duration, low-volume sound and visual performances. Throughout the deepest hours of the night, Ptarmigan will be transformed into a surreal landscape of audiovisual environments. Sound performances by Arturs Punte, Nuslux, and Antti Tolvi will occur at various times and places throughout Ptarmigan, creating distinct ambient experiences to introduce the winter months. An interactive 'Soundlines' listening and drawing performance by Evelyn Müürsepp and John Grzinich will occur in the main space, while curated video and audio programmes will appear and disappear in other rooms. It starts at 22:00 and goes until the sun comes up! Bring pillows, sleeping things, and feel free to drift off .... and bring your own sound-generating equipment and art materials, because the night is open to audience/performer collaboration too!
Performers
John Grzinich and Evelyn Müürsepp: Soundlines
This is an audio-visual-corporeal performance led by Evelyn Müürsepp and John Grzinich. Through the means of a live sound mix and drinkable pigments (tea, etc.), drawings as patterns will be developed and explored between the audience and performers. It takes at least 2 to draw and leave intentional- accidental traces on paper. An initial mirrored blot becomes the connector between drawing of a single pair, the point where 2 actors start exploring the ways of taking (non)sense for new sense interpretations. While eyes are connected to hands the ears take in the sonic ambience of a timeless continuum.
http://maaheli.ee
http://maaheli.ee/eku
Nuslux
Nuslux is the solo project of Roope Eronen, reknowned visual artist and member of various madcap underground Finnish bands (Avarus, Maniacs Dream, Pylon, et al). Merging homemade electronics and organic material, the Nuslux sound world is often frantic and unpredictable. At Antarctica Starts Here, Nuslux will explore a long-duration live sound piece.
http://www.myspace.com/nuslux
Artūrs Punte
Artūrs Punte (from Riga, Latvia) is the current artist-in-residence at Ptarmigan. At Antarctica Starts Here, Punte will construct soundscapes using field recordings collected during his travels, with geographic connections to concrete poetry lines which will also be incorporated. Punte will be demonstrating a homemade instrument constructed from microphones and playback devices.
http://orbita.lv/
Antti Tolvi
Antti Tolvi is one of the unstoppable forces of free music in Finland, most notable for his intense blowing as a member of Rauhan Orkesteri and the rhythmic deconstructions of Lauhkeat Lampaat. At Antarctica Starts Here, Tolvi will explore harmony and overtones using an Indian shruti box, constructing a dense blanket of sounds. Tolvi's performance will welcome the sunrise on Saturday morning.
http://www.myspace.com/anttitolvi
Other activities
A film and video programme will be curated and shown throughout the event, also focusing on the ideas of minimal activity, slow gestures, and long durations. Attendees will be encouraged to interact creatively, and impromptu "workshops" in drawing, playing music, and collective dreaming will hopefully occur.
Things will start around 10:00 PM and go until the sun comes up. This event is free. Please bring pillows and blankets as napping will not only be tolerated, but encouraged. The kitchen will be open to prepare snacks or other foods, but please respect the vegetarian nature of the kitchen.