Egyptian artist Magdi Mostafa’s interactive environment for the 2018 Dakar Biennial of Contemporary African Art turns the sounds of analog technology into an aesthetic force. Acting like tiny radio receivers, his handmade electronics make audible the otherwise silent electro-magnetic fields emanating from today’s myriad digital devices. He exposes the reverberations of energy emission and loss in our battery powered, wi-fi connected contemporary communications.

In “Transmission Loss,” electronic residue becomes the main signal—the core source of energy for an audio playscape. Mostafa invites us to turn a field of full frequency noise into a sonic composition. By tweaking the dials of tone generators and manipulating vibrating devices, we can alter sounds, discover patterns and explore the mysterious interactions of feedback and inter-device communication.

Sound Editor: Jonathan Pfeffer | Special Audio and Photos courtesy Magdi Mostafa

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Related Links: Magdi Mostafa, Dak’Art 2018