Unsound 2019 Starts Today - Here’s an Outline of What’s Happening. Also: Some Last-Minute Program Changes.
Another year has passed, and the Festival Office in Pałac Krzysztofory at Szczepańska 2 opens its doors yet again to mark the start of Kraków edition of Unsound. If you have a pass, be sure to come here to exchange it for a festival wristband! The office is open every day of the festival from 12pm to 6pm.
Themed Solidarity, the festival will explore the meaning of the word in a myriad of ways, involving artists, musicians, writers, philosophers and our audience through interdisciplinary events all over the city.
First up, you can visit Bunkier Sztuki to see the Incoming installation by Richard Mosse, a work that looks at how we see victims of the refugee crisis, people who are exiled, displaced and migrating.
Opening today are two exhibitions. The first is a display of Polish sound postcards from the 60s, 70s and 80s at Puro Hotel, including a performance of Bambino Sound System, on which the cards are played on portable Bambino record players by the exhibition curators Mat Schulz and Rui Silva. A different experience altogether, Everything by David OReilly is an interactive simulator of reality you can visit at Jak Zapomnieć gallery. It allows you to travel through the universe, seeing it from different points of view.
The discourse program includes the aforementioned Richard Mosse, discussing the role of art in examining and representing state power and international borders, together with Stefanos Levidis of Forensics Architecture. Later, Polish feminist philosopher Ewa Majewska will explore the notion of solidarity in the context of feminist theories and practices. The discourse program takes place in Pałac Krzysztofory, and entry is free.
Screenings at Kino Pod Baranami include Honeyland about the life of one of the last nomadic Macedonian beekeepers, and Midnight Traveler, a document of Hassan Fazili’s escape from Taliban regime in Afghanistan and attempt to claim asylum in Germany. Screenings require an additional ticket on top of the pass.
Music-wise, there’s a surprise from our friends at Alchemia - an intimate afternoon show with Japanese avant-rock band Kukangendai, performing together with Hubert Kostkiewicz of the Kurws. (This collaboration was initiated by Avant Art Festival.)
Later on, the official opening show at Juliusz Słowacki Theatre will see Sote presenting Parallel Persia, his “soundtrack for a science-fiction version of Iran” and Moor Mother premiering The Great Bailout with London Contemporary Orchestra, a free verse poem that acts as a nonlinear word map about colonialism, slavery and commerce in Great Britain and her commonwealth. Tickets are sold out.
After that, we’re celebrating the launch of the festival with a free party at Zet Pe Te, with Facheroia, YPY, Bambounou b2b Lutto Lento, Schacke and Nastya Muravyova.
Finally, there are some last-minute program changes. Unfortunately, due to reasons beyond our control, Citizen Boy and Shackleton have been forced to cancel their performances. The former will be replaced by Zuli, the Egyptian producer and DJ known for his innovative approach to electronic music. The latter was supposed to premiere a new collaboration with Wacław Zimpel. The Polish clarinetist will remain on the lineup though, performing unstead together with James Holden in yet another world premiere, ahead of a collaborative EP due to release release next year.