Andrejs Poikāns is an artist and researcher based between Riga, Latvia and The Hague, Netherlands. In his practice he uses new media techniques to experiment with speculative software art, computer graphics, sound installations, electroacoustic music, and sound performance. As a researcher he is fascinated by the topics of listening modes, sound perception, philosophy of language, media archeology as well as experimental computer music. He is a graduate of New Media Arts BA programme in Liepaja University (2017-2020) and a research associate in the institute of Sonology, Royal Conservatory The Hague.

His recent artistic interest is in the poetics and metaphysics of the human voice – a rhizome of questions regarding subjectivity. Through these inquiries the artist attempts to draw a map of listening which is involved with ‘internal’ and ‘external’ sound images and the blurry areas in-between.

During the residency, Andrejs will be looking closer at the strange history and sound practices of Konstantīns Raudive – a 20th century Latvian descent parapsychologist. In his practice Raudive transcribed conversations with voices he ‘tuned into’ by systematically manipulating magnetic tape and radio signals. These conversations have been published in a book titled “Breakthrough: An Amazing Experiment in Electronic Communication with the Dead” (1971).

This residency is supported by Nordic Council of Ministers.

SODAS 2123 activities are supported by Lithuanian Council for Culture and Vilnius city municipality.