Language Stations
OVERVIEW
The Language Station encounters and workshops were first started as a way to meet and record speakers of various languages specifically relevant to my sunrise performance, Ragadawn. This has since expanded to include workshops and conversations that tap into language migration, trajectories and creative exchange.
Research into old European languages as well as languages spoken by more recently settled communities are introduced into the project through these exchanges and recordings. One phrase from my performance has been translated and recomposed into the work: Dawn Chorus of Languages.
It started in 2016 with Romanche (Geneva performance) and Punjabi (Southend performance). As of 2018 some 18 languages/translations have been integrated into the Dawn Chorus of Ragadawn with contributions from approximately 40 poets/academics/translators. A first public workshop took place in London with contributors of Galician and Ladino languages: Language Station Live, Kings College London, 2019.
The work is ongoing and responsive to situations and invitations.
Photo credit: various contributors
BACKGROUND
At the heart of the linguistic aspect of Ragadawn is the process of revitalizing connections between poetic forms as well as minority or migratory languages active in Europe: anciently rooted languages, as well those present through more recent settlements.
It follows a symbolic map of some of the languages involved in early medieval lyric poetry across pre-European territories. One phrase from my performance has been translated and recomposed into the work, thus slowly compiling a multilingual refrain at the heart of the work.
ORIGINAL TEXT
passengers we are passages we are passengers we are passages we are passengers
c. bergvall, 2016
PASSENGERS PASSAGES
Algorhithmic work commissioned by Rivers Institute, New Orleans. With thanks to Andrea Andersson. Created with John Cayley and orange.
2022
2016-2018
Punjabi – Southend | Romanche – Geneva | Arabic – Paris | Berber – Paris | Farsi – Copenhagen | Andalus-Arabic – Library | Medieval Hebrew – Library | Galician – Santiago de Compostela | Ladino – London | Provençal – Aix en Provence | Occitan – Toulouse | Sicilian – London | Anglo-Saxon – London | Welsh – Liverpool | Scottish Gaelic – Skye | Icelandic – Manchester | Groendlandic – Copenhagen | Nightingale – Stodmarsh
Field recordings of voices and conversations.
Edited by Jamie Hamilton
Placed as a performance layer in Ragadawn and Nattsong
Digital commission
Algorhithmic work commissioned by Rivers Institute, New Orleans. With thanks to Andrea Andersson. Created with John Cayley and orange.
Passengers Passages team
Caroline Bergvall (concept, research, source material), John Cayley (javascript coding, animated letteral display), Orange/Revebla (styling and adjustments).
ARTISTIC AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Caroline Bergvall
Michaela Freeman, Project Manager
Harriet Cook,Project Assistant
Caleb Watson, Sound Recording
A Sonic Atlas project
HOSTS
Santiago de Compostela, Copenhagen, Toulouse, Liverpool, Aix-en-Provence, London, Paris.
Geoff Sample, birdist and sound recordist notably around the British Isles, Clyde Ancarno, linguist specialising in cross-species contact and Nigerian rituals, Shadi Angelina Bazeghi, poet and Iranian translator of Farrack Farrokzadh into Danish, Adam Chodzco, visual artist currently working with Kurdish refugee communities, David Wallace, medievalist focused on performance and developing a collaborative project around “national epics”, Cherry Smith, queer Irish poet currently exploring Irish histories, Vera Regan, sociolog focused on Dublin’s multilingual communities, James Smith, Dublin-based water geographer, Ceara Conway, irish singer and activist, Anthony Vahni Capildeo, Trinidadian Scotland-based poet.
2017 - 2018
HOSTED IN: Santiago de Compostela, Copenhagen, Toulouse, Liverpool, Aix-en-Provence, London, Paris.
SUPPORTED BY
Arts Council England
Festival de la Batie, Geneva
Estuary Festival, Southend
Atlas Arts, Skye
Whitstable Biennale
THANKS TO
All hosts, venue partners and contributors since 2016 who have made and are continuing to make these recordings possible.
Special thanks to Sam Grant for the better 2016-17 recordings.