DMSA Feature: Aki Purser

This month we talk to Aki Purser. Aki has just graduated from our course and her astonishing audio-visual piece 記憶 (Memory) has won her the ‘Incentive award’ from our partner University in Nagoya Japan. Aki has a few exciting projects ahead, including RBMA Berlin this coming September.

DMSA: Three important words that represent you as a creative person
AP: playful, meticulous, intricate

DMSA: When did you start working with sound and music?
AP:Aged 6/7 playing the piano

DMSA: In what ways has the DMSA course supported or helped you to develop into who you are today creatively and professionally?
AP: It broadened my approach to sound and encouraged me to explore past the rigid rules of traditional music.
Over my three years there, the teachers were very supportive and I am incredibly grateful.

DMSA: Your degree piece 記憶 (Memory) has won one of the Nagoya awards this year. Can you tell us a bit about the project?
AP: 記憶 (Memory) is an audio-visual piece that explores the fragmented structures of human memory. Developed around the poem 記憶 (Memory) by Tian Yuan and taking inspiration from Phillip Larkins’ An Arundel Tomb, the piece examines the expiration of memory and its inability to withstand interference. The 4 minute film consists of rapidly fluctuating rhythms, upon which runs a continuous stream of black and white imagery. The broken rhythms are used to portray the fractured nature of memory and this is emphasised through sequences of still photography that have been adapted for the moving image.

DMSA: You will be attending the RBMA in Berlin in September, this is exciting! Was it difficult to get in and what do you hope to get from it?
AP: Honestly I don’t know how I got in. I had been told about it and sent off an application last minute on a whim. I really did not expect anything from it and it was a wonderful surprise. I am trying to approach it with no expectations and am generally trying not to think about it too much, but I am really looking forward to it and feel very privileged to have been offered such an opportunity.

DMSA: Other plans for the future? projects, events, visions?
AP: We’ll have to see! My first love is sound for film, so hopefully I will find myself going down that route in the near future.

Call for Artists

Homelessness – An art exhibition for the homeless.

Are you Interested in sharing your skills with others and gaining experience curating and leading workshops that align with your knowledge? We are looking for artists who will run workshops for the homeless community, with the goal of showcasing the resulting work over a weekend exhibition in The Basement in the north lanes. You will act as the catalyst between your artistic medium and the homeless! We are keeping an open mind in regards to the disciplines we wish to work alongside, if you’re interested in the project tell us about what you do!

About the project

The project is a collaboration with Our Future City, which is associated with the Brighton Dome. It will take place on the 5th week of September from the 24th -29th, we will hold the workshops from Monday to Thursday and exhibit the work from Friday to Saturday. Hours are flexible, and no one has to spend the whole week at the space, the weekend will be busy as we will have the public coming in to view, the extra hand will be needed.

Applying

Send an email to jackclearymusic@hotmail.co.uk! State the department you study in, your interests and how you see yourself fitting into the project!

ID Spectal: Call for demos

ID Spectral is a new student-led record label and multidisciplinary arts collective, pushing the works of forward-thinking and innovative creatives across the UK and worldwide.

To celebrate the launch of the label’s official website and radio show via. Resonance Extra and Radio Cascabel London, ID Spectral are currently accepting demo submissions for the IDS001 launch compilation.

This will be the first of the imprint’s series of compilation albums, showcasing the vast spectrum of experimentalism and contemporary music; derriving from the concepts of ambience, modern-classical, techno and IDM.

Newcoming and existing students and members of staff will have the opportunity to meet artists and listen to DJ sets and performances from the label’s roaster on Septemper 26th 2018. More info to be announced soon.

In the meantime, you can submit your demo here.