The "Systems" program section is supported by the Malopolska Regional Office and the Warto Pamietac ("Important to Remember")

The idea of this section of Unsound is to commemorate 20 years since the end of communism in Poland in an orginal way. We not only want to explore this period of time directly, but also look at wider political, social, economic and cultural systems. It is about transition, change, positive forms of globalisation and rebellion - especially in terms of how they relate to music and culture.

"Systems" contains commissioned VJ work, installations, documentary film screenings and panel discussions.

Documentary Film Screenings

The series includes the opening night film "Beats of Freedom". Directed by Leszka Gnoińskiego i Wojciecha Słoty, this is a new documentary about how rock was a opposition movement during communism in Poland. Accompanied by a panel dicussion, we'll also show another documentary by the same directors about the Polish punk movement in the 80s. Other films include "RiP: A Music Manifesto" examines copyright law and how it relateds to music sampling. "Before The Music Dies" looks at the way big business creates artifical stars.

Commissioned VJ Program - A selection of VJ's have been chosen by Berlin's Club Transmediale and Unsound, to interpret the theme "Systems". Polish VJ's include Pussy Krew, Pani K and Kinetofon. German VJ's include MFO, Autokolor and Telematique and u-matic.

These VJ's will perform their work live on the club nights in Manggha on the 22.10, 23.10 and 24.10, as well as exhibit it in the "Systems" installation exhibition, outlined below.

"Systems" Installations - Three very different installations that relate to the communist past, as well as hope for the present and future. All the art works interpret the idea of connections made across borders, openness. This includes: a sound recording work made in Minsk, Belarus, and commissioned by Unsound; a work making reference to Chernobyl in Ukraine; and a work about the importance of a collaborative future for the world. The exhibition includes:

“There are no others, there is only us” -Marc Silver (UK) and Ben Frost (IS / AUS)
This is a film and sound installation that shows thousands of birds moving as one, as a metaphor for a collaborative future.
The film can be experienced with the 9-minute film soundtrack made by Ben Frost, or with one of three commissioned alternate soundtracks made by Jacaszek (PL), Tomasz Bednarczyk (PL) and Denis Kolokol (UA).
This is a project about open borders, closed for so long in Europe during the communist period

“Anion” - Jacob Kirkegaard
The work of a well-known Danish artist focusing on Chernobyl, Ukraine, where a nuclear power plant accident occurred that had an important role in bringing about the end of communism. It also makes comments on change in general, and regime change.

The video and sound work unfolds four abandoned spaces inside the Zone of Exclusion in Chernobyl. It deals with a sonic and visual experience of time, absence, and change - in an area haunted by an invisible and inaudible danger, amidst the slowly decaying remains of human civilization
The sound artist Kassian Troyer was commissioned by Unsound to make recordings in Minsk in September 2008. This sound installation is the result of that work. Troyer made his recordings at an unmarked site where Stalin buried victims of his regime.
The placement of this piece in the context of the exhibition not only refers to the history of communism, it is also a statement on the current political situation in Minsk.

Panel Discussions

"Systems" includes panel dicussions on independent cultural production in Poland after '89; the International Cities of Advanced Sound (ICAS) network, of which Unsound is a founding member; the question of whether we program music software systems, or they program us; the Polish 80s punk movement; and also a call for manifestos to be written up on the creation of electronic dance music.