Rolando Hernández
MexicoAugust 2019
Rolando Hernández’s practice takes different tools from archive research, curatorship, writing, composition and art production. Since 2013 he is co-director and curator of Umbral, a project space and festival gathering practices interested in sound experimentation. Since 2015 he runs the artistic institution CCADDASM (Centro de Creación Archivo y Difusión de Documentos de Arte Sonoro en México) which has created different projects to create an alternate historiography of sound practices in Mexico. As a composer, his work Topializ was studied for the PHD thesis “Componer la duración de la experiencia musical” from Santiago Astaburuaga and published by Marginal Frequency. He has been awarded with the first latinoamerican residency Tsonami Arte Sonoro/Casaplan for his criticised project Basuraleza Muerta Viva. Also he received a merit shcolarship to assist to the Curatorial Intensice of ICI (Independent Curators International ) in Alumnos47 (MX City) His work has been published and presented at places , presses and labels like : Gauss PDF, Caduc, Theme Park for Ear, Impulsive Habitat, Tsonami Arte Sonoro, Festival CuatroXCuatro, Labor Sonor,FotoPhono, Fonoteca Nacional, Cha`ak`abb Paaxil/Multiple Tap, among others.
During his residency he worked on Exomológesis: A History About Contrition.
Supported by Nicolàs Jaar.
Exomológesis : A History About Contrition
This artistic research takes as point of interest the rituals used as contrition before the confession as we know it existed. One of them, exomológesis, was a life ritual of redemption. Everyday fasting, the use if certain places to sit in public spaces, to wear the same clothes until they're totally unusable were just one of the things u should do as part of this ritual alongside with flagellations, and prayers. One wouldn't talk about it's sins, it was rather a performative ritual that would talk for itself. My time at the studio at Dar Yusuf Nasri Jacir for Art and Research was to develop a work in which one would hear the whole process of Exomologesis in a way you would hear a confession. I created different body rituals that would recreate that atmosphere as well as the use of different references to confession like Thomas of Kempis and St. Augustine and prayers of contrition. The use of sound as material was to strength the idea of being in a reclusive state. A performative state to be listened to. It was a great opportunity to start to create other ways in which sound can extend it's potentials to talk about other histories as well as to think in other contexts for exhibition. I don't see this as music for a musical time. It is rather a music that needs a contextual space to be in time. This aims to be presented as a dramatized exhibition with the same title in the following year. It will include the creation of more works including photographies, ritual objects and two durational performances.
