A visual and audio journey to the kitchen world

Valentin Durif performs with kitchen utensils. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

As a musician, sound technician and IT programmer, Valentin Durif lives and works in Lyon, France. With interests in electronic music and electronic acoustics, he has a fond appreciation for digital instruments.

He was one of three designers behind the well-known creative installation "The Standing Men" which has been referred to as a new kind of media.

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On May 7, 2013, Valentin Durif continued his music creation at Zajia Lab, located in the Doufuchi Hutong in Beijing. This time, there was no "Standing Men" at the lab space, just a pair of "Minced Ears".

"Minced Ears" is a musical performance that combines elements of concert performance and object theater.

By placing motors and vibrating speakers on objects that often go unused, Valentin Durif hijacks and returns energy to sets of kitchen utensils often associated only with utilitarian functions. His set becomes quickly distorted to make room for a lively, visual, and audible world.

"Minced Ears" combined a number of scenes with strong aesthetic references to film and fantasy literature.

The stenographer was able recreated an intimate, Baroque, and poetic space. The objects used appeared to have been accumulated over time, all set in an atmosphere of wood, metal, and unusual mechanical objects.

"Minced Ears" was performed in this archaic room on May 7, 2013. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]