After being introduced to Achilleas Kentonis, the founder of Artos Foundation, a cultural and research center in Nicosia. I had the opportunity to participate in the Moving Silence event taking place (for the second time in Cyprus) as part of the 4-th X-Dream Festival. A collaborative platform for contemporary silent films and live performance, based in Berlin.
I’m still amazed by the stunning performances, films and the whole energy of the event, It was also great to spend some time and exchange ideas with the founding members of Moving Silence, Matthias Fritsch and Marco Brosolo, as well as other spectacular artists such as Shingo Inao (a.k.a. “stra.”), Anastasia X (a.k.a. “natrYX”) and Xaver Xylophon. Also it was great seeing some of the local talented artist such as Afrodite Nicolaou, Yiannis Christofides, Andreas Vrahimis, Kyriakos Efthymiou, Stelios Frangos, Andreas Moustoukis, Marios Nicolaou, Ioanna Frangou and the Some-take Trio band.
Naturally, I was fascinated by the performances of Shingo and Marco and their self built instruments.
Shingo with his Qgo, an instrument packed with accelerometers and proximity sensors, mangling and twisting sound with every move as he played on the keyboard, I literally held my breath as I watched him perform.
Marco created a magical atmosphere with his singing and performing on Ast, an instrument in a shape of a tree branch with pressure and position strips based on Arduino.
Also worth mentioning that natrYX literally left me speechless with her beautiful singing while rubbing a cello bow on a cymbal. I was amazed by her voice and amazed by the sounds that cymbal produced.
And as for myself, I performed a piece produced together with Marina Kountouridou for the film “Resistance” by Maria Papacharalambous.
As for the grand finale, Achilleas together with all the foreign artists made an improvised performance.
This event left me nothing but the best impressions, I’m really looking forward seeing everyone again and taking part again next time!
All photos courtesy of Antonis Minas.