Culture of peace
August 1997
Prof. Eckhard Jung invited me to submit artworks for the publication Kultur des Friedens. Wege zu einer Welt ohne Krieg.
Peace and conflict researchers, artists and protagonists of the peace movement have joined forces to present a special gift to UNESCO for its 50th anniversary. In this anthology, they developed insights and ideas for a culture of peace, for the non-violent settlement of conflicts, for a future without war.
Published by a-musik, Cologne
September 1996
Marcus Schmickler's first release on a-musik became a classic.
Via a-musik: "Wabi Sabi is a staggering sounding, beautifully packaged and simply significant contemporary electronic album by Marcus Schmickler out of the thriving German underground music scene. Schmickler has one release under his own name on the Odd Size label in France, and was a contributing member of POL and Kontakta on the same label. Most recently he released the exceptional Pluramon Pick Up Canyon album on the Mille Plateaux label (which featured the guest drumming of Jaki Liebezeit). This CD consists of two pieces: "Wabi Sabi" -- a devastating 33 minute 2-channel spatial composition that mixes gorgeous flowing electronics ala Francois Bayle with moments radio-static density and transcending sound waves. Param is a shorter work of 2-channel, powerfully droning electronics. "The pair of terms wabi and sabi are expressions of an attitude towards life that draw the power of artistic creation from silence and decay."
Published by Mille Plateaux, Frankfurt
May 1996
Pluramon is the collaboration project of Marcus Schmickler. He asked Jan St. Werner and me to design the cover artwork for the debut album Pick up canyon. We basically cut from old books and used printing sets for children.
Via Mille Plateaux: "The first Pluramon release on Mille Plateaux, Pick Up Canyon focused on the guitar as an instrument to produce electronic sounds, dealing with the transition from structure and tune (as he calls it). Schmickler says 'I feel it's very microscopic and gives the listener the opportunity to listen into an instrument, like hearing through 3-D glasses into the space between the instruments.' "