AUUF

AUUF is an improvisation duo, which is centered around the concept of creating bridges between unfamiliar cultures through improvisation. By embracing differences and fostering collaboration between different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, the project promotes cultural exchange and mutual understanding. It is an exploration of interconnectedness, flexibility of language, and non-attachment through openness to new situations.

Tian Fu, the Chinese freestyle rapper, and Antuum, who creates beats from scratch on a semi-modular synthesizer, come together to create a spontaneous experience, through which, the rapper and synthesizer player focus on the importance of being present and aware of the music as it unfolds in the moment. This requires them to be open to new and unexpected directions, rather than being attached to preconceived ideas or plans. Each performer is both influenced by and influencing the other, but also allowing the space for their own expressions creating a web of interconnectedness.

The rapper keeps responding to the improvised beat being created by his counterpart. The rhythmic and melodic components of the beat dictate not only the development of the rap flow in Chineses language (Mandarin) but also the direction of storytelling, which may lead to an unexpected story or a theatrical situation.

For the musician creating the beat on semi-modular synthesizer, the Chinese language is perceived only as musical material, rather than semantic content.

This creates a space for openness and collaboration, where the musician is free to respond to the development of the rapper’s flow in a way that generates a “feedback loop” of creativity and inspiration.

The rapper’s flow and the musician’s beat create together a rich and vibrant musical experience, where unfamiliar language is not a barrier but rather a creative tool that promotes collaboration and interconnectedness. A circle of creativity between the two performers is built on the foundations of mutual inspiration and cultural cross-language collaboration.

Conversely, the other performer is not influenced by the semantic component of the Mandarin language, but rather by the musical components of the language.

The beat created by the second performer responds to the Mandarin language improvisation, creating a feedback loop of creativity and inspiration.

Overall, AUUF highlights the potential for creating bridges between cultures through the universal language of music and the creative expression. The project demonstrates the power of music as a tool for building connections and breaking down barriers. At the same time, it is also an artistic research project that explores the potentiality of improvisation, the interconnectedness of all things, and the importance of non-attachment and openness to new situations.

This project serves as a reminder that when we are open to new experiences and ideas, we can create something authentic, something that speaks to the power of human creativity and collaboration.