Baz Laarakkers is a sound artist and composer from Arnhem, The Netherlands. His practice blends field recording, sonic transformation and generative composition, letting sound unfold through both compositional intent and procedural processes. During his stay at the residency Baz joined Laura Nygren mid-month as collaborator in the development of her new work “Glisten”.

Glisten is an artistic research into the materiality of snow and ice. Using field recordings, vocal techniques, and electronics, Laura is developing a body of work around the molecular language of melting. Her research revolves around two questions: How can ephemeral materials express collective resilience? How can we, as artists, resist ecological destruction and fight political apathy? While a single snowflake might vanish instantly, a drift takes days.

Throughout their time together, they adventured up the mountains of Stöðvarfjörður and took an unforgettable trip to the Hoffellsjökull glacier for field recording. Back at the factory, they spent time re-amping samples of snow and ice using Atomic Analog gear and composing from recordings made on the mountain, at the glacier, and around the factory. The results will eventually materialise into a vocal work, to be completed later this year.

While staying at the Fish Factory, Baz breathed in the feeling of space, silence and a sense of deep time. He got a bit of faith back in the potential of kindness through his fellow residents, the Fish Factory team, and all the animals of Stöðvarfjörður. His time spent at the residency felt simultaneously stretched and far too short.

Glisten and this residency are made possible by the Dutch Fund for the Performing Arts.