Can the archive support intruders, subjectivity and paradoxes?
Substance Data (insertion into a collection database) is a project designed by The Mental Masonry Lab. It responds to the invitation by Hôtel Charleroi to 're-enact or re-interpret' Games of Stones that took place in 2014 in Charleroi, a work that wondered about the stone in a construction site of the city. As The Mental Masonry Lab wonders about urban situations and mechanisms, the Lab focuses its attention for this project rather on the institutional mechanisms of the M HKA (the host) and its archiving modalities.

After the dematerialisation of an artwork, where goes art?
During a three days’ workshop (28, 29 and 30th of April 2017) we unwrap, observe, record, describe, construct and rewrap the art work The Possessed Can Witness in the Court (2015) by the Ukrainian artist Nikita Kadan. The workshop invites specific profiles to collaborate with such as an architect, a drawer, a photographer, a writer and so on to help us to record and encode the work in the collection ensembles.org of the M HKA.
At the start of the workshop a scientific member of the collection staff introduces proceedings and modalities of archiving a new piece of art. On that basis, the workshop can start wondering about archive methodologies seen from an artistic point of view.
Art after art. The workshop has a goal and would like to fulfil the assignment of the recording of the art work The Possessed Can Witness in the Court (2015). At the same time the workshop is a free platform to discuss archive methodologies, ways of imaging/recording a piece of art and wherein the public of the museum is the witness of the action.

Participants:
Jan(us) Boudewijns, Achiel Buyse, Ruben Castro, Riet Eeckhout, Matilde Everaert, Bert Joostens, Ephraïm Joris, Miyeon Lee, Eva Maréchal, Jeanne Noël, Anne-Marie Sampaio.

204 pages, 22 x 16,5 cm, English | French, 2017 – Publisher: TMMED The Mental Masonry Lab.

A Voyage into the Moon

Les aiguilles

Les aiguilles
by Cédric Noël

Composition: thirty-two black ink drawings on squared paper 10,5x14,8cm, a digital photograph, a text

Excerpt : (...) Je me rappelais les maisons en bois de Šnipiškės. L’image la plus insistante, qui me revenait par bribes, était celle de cagettes retournées sur lesquelles étaient soigneusement disposées des petites choses de couture. Du fil, des boutons, des épingles et des aiguilles que des dames espéraient vendre en bordure de route. (...)

35 copies, 12 pages, 22,5 x 32 cm, French, 2022 – Publisher: TMMED The Mental Masonry Lab

Splash Résidu

Splash Résidu

A publication by
The Mental Masonry Lab
(Mira Sanders & Cédric Noël)

Essays by
Ive Stevenheydens
Nel janssens & Wim Goossens

Grafische Cel, 2024

Explore Splash Résidu, a captivating publication delving into the intriguing world of residue aesthetics crafted by The Mental Masonry Lab (TMML) since its inception in 2014. TMML is a dynamic collective fostering action and reflection in urban contexts, bringing together artists, designers, writers, scientists and passers-by. Central to TMML’s ethos is a fascination with residue, a substance both tangible and symbolic, existing on the fringes of control. Navigating the threshold between disappearance and manifestation, TMML engages in explorations across urban landscapes, from streets to museums, gathering inspiration for spatial experiments and public encounters. Through media such as drawing, writing and exhibitions, TMML shares its discoveries and insights, transcending boundaries and inspiring curiosity. From Berlin to Brussels, TMML’s journey continues, shaping the artistic landscape along the way.

category: art & architecture
ISBN: 9789492574251
232 pages, illustrated, 24 x17 cm, softcover, English

CONDUCTURIS LP

CONDUCTURIS
by DIENNE

Conducturis is an immersive film installation project that delves into the realms of speculative fiction, employing the cinematic language of the road movie to envision the ramifications of constructing an artificial brain within the Swiss landscape.

Following their encounters with key figures in the Human Brain Project during an art research expedition in Geneva from 2019 to 2020, conceptualized by Cédric Noël & Mira Sanders, they stumbled upon a remarkable discovery: a hidden fiber-optic cable linking Geneva to Lugano.

The accompanying original score by Dienne invites audiences to delve into the intersection of human creativity and machine intelligence. Guided by the principle of being "abundant in beauty and rich in disturbances", Dienne embarks on a sonic exploration of the Swiss landscape, translating its ethereal beauty and technological wonders into evocative musical compositions.

The accompanying original score by Dienne invites audiences to delve into the intersection of human creativity and machine intelligence. Guided by the principle of being "abundant in beauty and rich in disturbances", Dienne embarks on a sonic exploration of the Swiss landscape, translating itsethereal beauty and technological wonders into evocative musical compositions.

"How can a human sound like a machine?"

This intriguing question lies at the heart of Dienne's artistic endeavor. For her, the soundtrack of Conducturis transcends mere musical notes; it embodies a profound philosophical exploration into the essence of human creativity amidst the rise of artificial intelligence.

Similarly, "How can a human being compose like a machine?" serves as a pivotal inquiry guiding Dienne's creative journey. As she navigates the delicate boundary between human expression and machine cognition, she skillfully intertwines the pulsating rhythms of data transmission with the haunting melodies inspired by artificial landscapes.

Drawing inspiration from the cinematic aesthetics of the road movie genre, as envisioned by Sanders & Noël in their speculation on the construction of an artificial brain, Dienne weaves a sonic tapestry that transports listeners on a contemplative journey through mountains, lakes, and cities.

Each track for Conducturis becomes a testament to the fusion of brain and landscape, inviting audiences to ponder the limitless potential of human imagination. As audiences immerse themselves in the evocative world of Conducturis, Dienne's soundtrack serves as a guiding force and perfect companion, leading them through a transcendental experience where reality and imagination merge, and the symphony of human and machine harmonizes seamlessly.

Conducturis emerges as a sensory exploration of the human spirit and the boundless horizons of artificial intelligence. With Dienne's soundtrack as its heartbeat, this project invites audiences to embark on a voyage of discovery, where the echoes of human creativity reverberate across the digital frontier.

releases January 25, 2025

Composed, performed and produced by Dienne Bogaerts
Classical singing on The Great Cable, Skull Tunnel, Lugano’s Peak by Jony Overdijk
Mixed by Orson Wouters at Son d’Or Studio
Mastered by Gert Van Hoof at Cochlea Mastering

Artwork by Mira Sanders & Cédric Noël

CORTIZONA