Banff Systems Infinite: Curated Listening in the Library

Magnus Tiesenhausen has been experimenting with sound and music for a number of years. Currently the preparatorial practicum at The Banff Centre's Walter Phillips Gallery, Tiesenhausen’s interests expand far beyond the rightly rigorous aspects of drywall, straight lines and paint, to encompass esoteric aspects of sound and noise, the absurd properties of synthetic materials, the unruliness of Internet aesthetics, and the wondrous nature of the universe.

As part of the Paul D. Fleck Library and Archives public programming, run by library practicum Marianne Williams, Tiesenhausen, brazen with dark red lips, recently hosted an evening of sustained — at times slow, at others frenetic —listening. His program, Banff Systems Infinite was the product of several months of research: hours spent in the library monomaniacally listening through the strange gems that constitute the LP collection. From this research, Tiesenhausen culled a vibrant and wonderfully atypical selection of songs for a night of listening, and ultimately, aural awakening.

"It was really great being guided through the collection by someone so passionate and knowledgeable about this kind of music. Magnus made wonderful connections between the collection and the history of experimental music, as well as his own practice and interests — he really made the library come alive. What a dreamboat!"

 - Karly Mortimer
Public Programs Officer, Walter Phillips Gallery