Experiment. Lorca-born Derek Van Den Bulcke will present ‘Flamante’ tonight, born from research into flamenco art and electronics, at the Flamenco Week in Alhama
What the Lorca-born Derek Van Den Bulcke is looking for with ‘Flamante’ is to explore flamenco, especially from free songs, those without compás or instrumentation. “We always tend to classify flamenco based on rhythm, but there are some palos who don’t have that. I find it very interesting to pay attention to these sticks and their cataloging. In many cases they are classified according to theme or origin of territory. They are, for example, the minera, typical of the mining songs of La Unión, the jailer, the threshing song, the debla, the martinete, the lullaby, the saeta… I add rhythm to these songs and so they start to create other kinds of textures. generate », the multidisciplinary artist explains to LA VERDAD, who will take the stage this Friday at 11:30 pm in the Tierno Galván Auditorium in Alhama de Murcia to present his work ‘Flamante’. This happens in a free show that belongs to the 6th Flamenco Week in Alhama, conducted by Onesimo Hernández and José Miguel Cerezo, after a performance by Rocío Márquez and Bronquio.
His proposal arises “as a principle of sound research and experimentation rather than music”. But what is the difference between sound, music and noise? Van Den Buckle gives his interpretation to the concepts. “Noise is a basic element of the sound that is always tried to eliminate, even from the first flamenco recordings in which it already appeared. And in traditional analysis, they try to ignore it. Noise is a fundamental subversive element that I try to incorporate as a sound and musical element». On the other hand, “for me, of course, the sound can be musical, but in many cases music tends to seek entertainment, the change that keeps the viewer hooked”. But sound,” which includes music, deviates from that and allows me to create images and environments that encompass what I want to show. Something beyond the rhythm and structure of the songs imposed by contemporary culture».
Graduated in Fine Arts from the University of Murcia and a Masters in Art Research and Production from the University of Granada, the artist departs from visual arts and performative works, which is reflected in ‘Flamante’, an exhibition in which also has great importance of the audiovisual. “For me, music is aesthetic and is accompanied not only by an image but also by a physicality, a presence that can be a singer or a dancer, but in my case it is me as a performer or producer”. The man from Lorca tries to ‘process the overall picture, which often precedes the musical creation itself’.
Not only Granada and Murcia are cities that have shaped and inspired the maker, but Bilbao, Carrara (Italy), Sao Paulo (Brazil) and New York (USA) have also enriched him. These stays “have been a very rewarding experience, for all that involves traveling to different cultures.” Formative times that “helped me analyze the common points of all countries”. Among them: “Brazil was the key to understanding; the project was born in Granada; and Bilbao has contributed to me because of its historical, political, cultural and musical issues, which range from folklore to punk».
Derek Van Den Bulcke has taken his experiments to spaces as varied as the Prado Museum, together with the soprano Olalla Alemán, who accompanies the dancer Rocío Molina, the Flamenco Madrid Fest or the Palace of Carlos V in Granada. A proposal that also seems to have found supporters among fans of the purest flamenco. “Usually people who kill you don’t tell you, though I’d appreciate it,” he says. They come, “the ones who didn’t leave in the middle of the ‘show’ and I’m surprised by the ‘good reception’, starting with the fact that we came from scratch. Live, a certain audience is generated that enjoys this break and experiment».
And in case there was any doubt, the artist defends his creation: «I do not work from the destruction of flamenco, but from love and passion for flamenco and I intend to turn it into what I like and what I like find. Despite this pause, I think a fairly pleasant performance emerges, proposing a journey that, if you stick with it for a while, can take you to places that everyone likes and that have to do with common works».
For the Flamenco Week in Alhama, «since it is an open space and all kinds of people come, I prepare a special ‘show’ where I will try new things». An hour of show ahead to surprise the audience and put it in their pocket.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
