Women in Society

Women in Society was created with the purpose of bringing together two different kinds of art while exploring contemporary matters: feminism and women’s role in society. It was created by three students within three different art areas creating a presentation that embraces both visual arts and music, and revealing at the same time our perception on gender equality. A project in the form of a live exhibition that showcases the perception from three different art forms: music composition, music performance and visual arts. 

We are aiming for an expansion of this project in the future, with more concerts and exhibitions all around Europe. It would be great to collaborate with other composers, musicians, and visual artists, since it is not so common to have these kinds of performances where the audience is called to be part of and experience the concert as a sensory experience. The women's role in society is an ambiguous subject nowadays and for that matter there is a lot of research behind this project, since we are all artists passionate and devoted to it. This is a project aiming towards a progressive society, rooting our beliefs in equality and fairness. Besides being a collaboration that goes beyond the canvas and paper we hope to captivate the audience and subsequently bring everyone with us over an artistic journey that represents the reality for a lot of people. 

In the concert, it was possible to observe the intermediality between music and installation, complementing the feminist theme in a deep and sensory way. The visual component of the project was created with various fabrics on which female silhouettes are represented. Some of these fabrics were processed using cyanotype, where the women themselves positioned themselves on the fabrics while the chemicals were exposed to light, resulting in impressions of their bodies. Other fabrics were cut or sewn with additional materials, creating a rich layer of textures and forms. This process, almost primitive in nature, places the body as the central element, transforming it into the primary material for creating the pieces. 

The works were arranged around the stage, evoking a sense of movement and solidarity between women. The arrangement of the pieces suggested a symbolic dance, a mutual embrace, where women are united in a circle of support, reflecting the collective strength built through unity. This circle of women, embraced and strengthened by each other, represented the trace of the adversities they face, but also their resistance and resilience in the face of these challenges. 

The lighting played a key role in creating the atmosphere of the installation, allowing certain figures to gradually emerge while intensifying the contrast of others, creating a visual dynamic that enveloped the audience. The lights not only highlighted the silhouettes but also added an emotional layer to the environment, making the audience feel immersed and connected to the experience, reinforcing the theme of struggle, sisterhood, and the ongoing fight for equality. 

Program 

Voice (1971) by Tōru Takemitsu (1930-1986) | For solo flute 

Besides its importance as a standard piece in the flute repertoire this composition goes beyond its technicalities: it aims to blend the Japanese sounds with the Western music writing. It was also one of the first pieces for the flute where the performer had to talk, scream and whisper, while encompassing several different kinds of extended techniques for the flute. Further in the piece one can hear first recited in French and then in English:"Qui va là? Qui que tu sois, parle, transparence! Who goes there? Speak, transparence, whoever you are!" 

Bioluminescence (2019) by Liza Lim (b. 1966) | For solo flute 

This piece ‘explores flickering, shimmering qualities. Bioluminescence is the emission of light by organisms such as fireflies, fungi, algae and many sea creatures. A famous example is the Hawaiian bobtail squid which carries bacteria whose luminescent specks act as a form of ‘invisibility cloak’. The squid blends with moonlight on a starry night seeming not to cast a shadow from the perspective of any prey below.’ as Liza Lim describes in her performance notes. It is a composition with several extended techniques focusing primarily on the use of auxiliary keys on the flute to create a chromatic trill effect while using demanding multiphonics and constant microtonality. 

Laconisme de l’aile (1982) by Kaija Saariaho (1952-2023) | For solo flute and optional electronics 

“The text fragments are borrowed from Saint-John Perse's Les Oiseaux, Birds, and the title refers to birds, meaning something like 'the tersenes of a wing'. I had in my mind, despite of bird song, above all the different ways birds fly, winning the gravity, crossing the sky. The solo flute draws these lines into acoustic space.” The writing in this piece focuses on blending rhythms of speech and timbres of breathing into more traditional flute expression. 

Transformation (2024) by Gonçalo A. Rodrigues (b. 1991) | For solo flute and optional electronics 

This composition showcases the transformative process of a woman that is born fragile and alone in this world. It brings forward the growth behind every woman, the changes behind our perception of society and how women see themselves in it. The text fragments are from the poem “The Introduction” by Lady Winchilsea from the 17th Century and the poem “Lady Lazarus” by Sylvia Plath. One can perceive this evolution along the piece starting with a more static movement and revelling in microtonal changes and glissandos. Progressively it becomes more bold, extending the flute register and intervals, while also exploring nuances to the extreme. At the end, one can hear the complete excerpt from “Lady Lazarus”: “Out of the ash I rise, with my red hair, and I eat men like air.” 

The concert took place on the 13th of May 2024, 12:00-13:00 | Rosenbergsalen, Musikhögskolan i Malmö

Performance by Inês Paiva

Art by Sílvia Ferreira 

Composer: Gonçalo A. Rodrigues

Producer: Inês Paiva

Sound Assistant: Gonçalo A. Rodrigues

Video and stage assistant: João Costa Ferreira

Excerpts of poetry by H.D., Margaret Atwood and Maya Angelou.

Excerpts of poetry in musical context by S. J. Perse, Lady Winchilsea and Sylvia Plath.