INSIDES: GRACE SCHELLA
Hello, how are you?
Was doing ok, thank you. Apart from the last days, which were full of sorrow and rage after George Floyd got killed and seeing so much disturbing content connected police brutality and racism. This injustice especially upon people of color must end, in the USA and anywhere, racism has no place in this century anymore. We who don’t approve to that are much more in numbers, we always need to remember that and speak up, solidarize , luckily we can also see that in the ongoing protests. The definition of culture I like to adapt is how we have learned to treat and communicate with each other.
Which sounds surround you?
A crackin wooden floor
Have you been productive so far?
After a while yes. Had more time again for music production and personal projects, since most of my work got reduced to minimum. For some tasks it is essential to have space in the mind and try seeing the whole picture.
What are you working on?
It is a project rooting in 2015. Ive curated an audio-visual group exhibition at moe Vienna called Electropia. A concept about electromagnetism, frequencies & vibrations, consciousness and communication. At the opening night Ive featured an experimental live performance by ELAK graduates Julian Rubisch, Tobias Leibetseder, Jakob Schauer, Patric Redl and Thomas Öggl. After that guests were strolling through an installation called “Euclidian Space” and there were many other art pieces of interest on display.
Actually, I was hoping to do a second edition of the exhibition in 2020, but it is postponed to 2021. Instead, Im transforming the Electropia concept into a record label this year for publishing Electro/Techno/Ambient/Experimental music. It is a very inspired and skilled team working on the project like producer Nino Šebelić, Annika Hippler who does cover art and graphic designer Elena Henrich. I feel very happy to work with them!
https://soundcloud.com/electropiarecords
What inspires you right now?
Friendship, every day life
Reading material you can recommend?
Hannah Arendt: Elemente und Ursprünge totalitärer Herrschaft, Gewalt und Macht, Ueber die Revolution
To listen?
https://vimeo.com/139051348?fbclid=IwAR1lTtiXDP2GzAZ52i-gsAgHxYQgqOfrHEhBEz_odf7LYjmg6091mbir-_w
https://soundcloud.com/syncopeaudio/syncope-vinyl-002-errorbeauty
https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/072707-000-A/amical-music-jeff-mills-tony-allen-im-new-morning/
https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/050724-002-A/welt-unter-strom-2-3/
To watch?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4tj7I2-q1s
https://futurezone.at/science/starlink-spacex-schiesst-60-neue-satelliten-ins-all/400819694
https://www.vfgh.gv.at/verfassungsgerichtshof/rechtsgrundlagen/grundrechte.de.html
“Communication became a race for instant attention-seeking.”
What’s your opinion on live-streams? You see any alternative ways to support the music community?
Ambivalent feeling about DJ streams. In terms of who profits, royalty share, data protection, feeding algorithms, missing out on analog life experiences. Live streaming is a common tool which can be beneficial to DJs, especially when all venues must close. It will most likely rise in the future. Soon I will have the first live stream experience in a long time at Angewandte Festival in June, Im curious. We all know the physical experience in a club or at a concert can not be substituted by something like a stream. Best support is attending concerts, gigs soonest again or as long as you feel more comfortable at home and online use direct channels for artists/labels like Bandcamp.
What are you missing most?
Most of all I miss hugs and kisses. I send them around via text and postcards instead.
What are you afraid of?
My biggest fear is the actual progress of the control state and the socio-political signs for stepping back into fascism. Communication became a race for instant attention-seeking. The collective inferiority complex and the wish to be admired for a glossy-high end-profile pic on xhamster are being exploited perfectly by social media. Oh, deep thought we want you to tell us the answer…
What will change you think?
Times like these hold lot of potential however not only for the better. We are living in period of severe changes. Hopefully more of them will lead to a more equal and tolerant society. At the same time democracy is at real stake everywhere. fact is: many of our fundamental rights, press & free speech are being hollowed out slowly. Fake laws (missing legitimation, determination etc.) are executed by overeager state forces while some are being overruled by Austrian administration courts. It is on us now to see behind the curtains, ask critical questions, evaluate and act.
Are you still able to pay your rent?
Yes and I hope I will be.
Grace Schella