Rock Music Performance
Image: Owl Project recording the sound of Karl Lee Flint Knapping. November 2015
28th November 2015
2 – 3pm
The Study
Manchester Museum,
The University of Manchester, Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9PL
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Owl Project Present Rock Music at Manchester Museum
Join Owl Project as they discuss their latest work, following a residency at Manchester Museum,
University of Manchester.
Consisting of Steve Symons, Simon Blackmore and Antony Hall, the artist collective will be in
conversation to reveal how the residency has influenced, and inspired the direction of their latest creation.
In Rock Music, Owl Project will tune 5,000 years back in time to reclaim one of the oldest known creative
processes: Flint Knapping. Making sharp tools from stone such as flint, or ‘Knapping’ is acknowledged as
one of the earliest human processes. Following advice and guidance from archaeologists, the collective
intend to closely examine the rhythms and movements associated with the practice of making stone tools.
Continuing Owl Projects interest in disrupting redundant processes with technology to create musical
instruments, they will bring together experimental archaeologists and innovative electronic musicians in
an attempt to couple the primal act of chipping rock from rock with the considered precision of
synthesised music.
Owl project are interested in how rhythms are the creators of forms and also one of the foundations of
music. Previously they have explored making electronic music from early industrialized processes,
including a traditional “Pole Lathe” and a “Jacquard Loom”. Their time at the Manchester Museum has
made them reflect on older technologies and processes to create objects.
The talk will be a precursor to Flint Synth: a live performance in 2016 involving a recreational Flint
Knapper. It will continue Owl Projects interest in combining the process of using redundant technologies
with new technologies.
The talk is free to attend. Please RSVP Bianca@invisibledust.com
Owl Project is kindly supported by Manchester Museum and Invisible Dust.
Invisible Dust works with leading artists and scientists to produce unique and exciting works of
contemporary art and new scientific ideas exploring our environment and climate change
Funded by Arts Council England and Wellcome Trust.