There are some big changes coming up for 2023 at the emser strasse, a “quiet” street in Körnerkiez just up the street from the Feuerwehr – beware – the sirens turn on right in front of our door.

while we take time to restructure, I get the chance to reenact the synthesewing construction orchestra for the first week of December, this time the archive edition:

I have been collecting sewing machines for the past five years at this address (if you’ve visited me you know there are machines hidden in every corner), and for the first time they will all be on display ready for stitching and sounds, enveloped by a vast collection of music instruments and wunderkammer of oddities.

The synthesewing construction orchestra is an interactive performative sound installation, as well as an open space for construction and deconstruction of machines, emphasising collective making as strategy for a queer feminist activism. An invitation to do it together: all are welcome to build, play, cut up clothes or cut up cables — there will be sewing machines, needles, scissors, and soldering irons. 

a continuous building site for self playing, oscillating, blinking, touch sensitive, light sensitive, talking, soft, found, stitched, glitched, and hacked instruments, acting and reacting in an ever fluctuating state of chaos.

want to come fix your clothes? 

there are about twenty sewing machines wanting to play.

time to take out all those sweaters full of holes, those trousers that need pockets, those lived, loved, and hated outfits that need mending.

A soft opening on Saturday December 3rd will be serenaded by the spacey banjo sounds of Entertainment for The Braindead( @eftbmusic ), accompanied by Agente Costura.

The Finnissage on Saturday Dec. 10th will welcome our new studio mates!

all are welcome to play and construct the orchestra. 

there will be tape recorders and tiny vinyl cutters. sharp scissors and singing sewing machines. blinking hats and noisy lunchboxes.

a tentative program of activities is in the making open to suggestions, collaborations, ideas, and constructions.

it´s all a matter of resistance.

the synthesewing construction orchestra – archive edition

03.12.-10.12.
16-20Uhr
Emser Strasse 126
12051 Berlin

03.12. soft opening with Entertainment for the Braindead 

            and “best of” the Schnick Schnack

10.12. schlüßel übergabe and surprises. 

play

handmade electronics + found objects
talking hats and musical handbags

lulaphone
pitch changer mic
chaos machine
multi effects

black and white drone
3 LFO oscillator + 4 step sequencer

synthesewing machine
CV oscillations, filter, envelope, solar panels, piezo springs
built with the kind support of the Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Europa – Klang Kunst Stipendium 2021

dressmaker II
light sensitive oscillations

multimegaphone
glitch touch sensor 3 channel amp, thread contact microphones
built with the kind support of Musikfonds Stipendienprogramm 2022

wear

innovative solutions for anything soft: repurposing second hand clothes
Agente Costura offers upcycling services and workshops,
and sews costumes for dance, music and theatre.

As a response to the current COVID-19 Pandemic, Agente Costura has also initiated the Maskerade Brigade, making and donating Facemasks to her community.

listen

Agente Costura’s improvisations are based on stitching and mending,
performed with sewing machines turned into noise boxes,
layered with oscillating self made wearable instruments.


Lisa Simpson plays solo and in different constellations
of artists, musicians, dancers, and curious audiences.

vrouw!
Agnė Auželytė – keyboards, voice
Tristen Bakker – bass, noise box, voice
Kata Kovács – contact mic, found objects, voice
Angela Muñoz – percussion, voice
Lisa Simpson – talking hats, oscillations, voice


http://vrouwband.com/

Equinox
live score
choreography Marion Sparber
Brux Freies Theater Innsbruck
September 2021
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Agente Costura and Angela Etcetera
T.A.T.V. 2 – February 2021, Ausland Berlin
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Agente Costura and Angela Etcetera
T.A.T.V. July 2020, Ausland Berlin
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Nähmaschinenduett
Lisa Simpson, Stephanie Müller , Klaus Erika Dietl
http://aduetofamplifiedsewingmachines.bandcamp.com/

Ich Brauche Eine Genie – Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Juli 2021

Bauwhat! Festival – 100 Jahre Bauhaus – Staatstheater Darmstadt, 2019

Agente Costura and Stephen Doyle
Antwerpen 2019
https://agenteanddoyle.bandcamp.com/releases
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Agente Costura, Jean P’arc and Michiyasu Furutani
Giftraum Berlin, 2015
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Agente Costura and Cornelia Voglmayr
Hallein 2014
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Mine Agente
with Ben Brown and Kelly McInnes
Vancouver 2014
http://benbrownsounds.com/
https://www.kellymcinnes.com/
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Catastrofismo – Uma Costura Musical
Cassiano Fagundes, Klaus Koti, Ana Rocha, Lisa Simpson, Deborah Silva, Karen Tortato
Curitiba 2010