Miami Beach, FL -- (ReleaseWire) -- 11/28/2016 --Like great art, the power of great sound cannot be explained but must be experienced. And as in art, human creativity and ingenuity are continually redrawing the boundaries of audio. At Art Basel in Miami Beach, held from December 1 to December 4, Sennheiser will showcase its vision to progress the worlds of art and sound through groundbreaking innovations and a commitment to support pioneering artists working with sound. During the Miami Beach show, the audio specialist will host a truly unique sound clash performance between German sound artist Nik Nowak and Miami Bass legend, Neil Case, a.k.a. Bass Mekanik. The two will meet for the first time and engage their mobile boom systems at Gramps, the famous venue in Miami's Wynwood District. Nowak is one of the sound artists collaborating with Sennheiser through its Future Audio Artists Program to create compelling new projects that fuse art and audio.
Sennheiser is the Official Audio Partner to the world-renown Art Basel international art shows, staged annually in Basel, Hong Kong and Miami Beach. The relationship epitomizes the audio specialist's deep commitment to the arts – both through innovative technologies that expand the limits of creative possibility and by working directly to support artists. "Our engagement with Art Basel started in March this year at Art Basel in Hong Kong. The journey we have been on since has been truly exciting, further deepening our relationship with the art world," said Daniel Sennheiser, co-CEO of Sennheiser. "We have been excited to see our vision to Shape the Future of Audio brought to life in a way that inspires people, and to be bringing this powerful experience to Miami Beach."
Dr. Andreas Sennheiser, co-CEO of Sennheiser, explains the role that Sennheiser has played in the development of creative and artistic projects: "Technology and art may seem to be polar opposites, but as a pioneer in audio we occupy a magical place where they come together. Our innovations empower still greater artistic endeavor. Yet, through Art Basel and our Future Audio Artists Program, we at Sennheiser have taken great inspiration from the passion and creativity of the artists that we have been privileged to work with."
The Future Audio Artists Program is a vital part of Sennheiser's ongoing commitment to support pioneering artists. Launched this March at Art Basel in Hong Kong, the program is a collaboration with some of the world's most exciting sound artists to create new projects, with assistance and technical expertise provided by Sennheiser. Each of the Art Basel shows has provided a global stage to showcase the new works. During Art Basel in Miami Beach, the Sennheiser Lounge will be displaying the work of one of the artists currently working within Sennheiser's Future Audio Artist Program, Nik Nowak.
Soundpanzer Meets Bass Mekanik
Half futuristic crawler type vehicle, half dancehall sound system, Nik Nowak's mobile boom systems are sculptural works designed to shake perceptions of art and sound – quite literally. On Wednesday November 30 at 9 p.m., the German Artist will feature in a very special performance: "Soundpanzer Meets Bass Mekanik", hosted by Sennheiser at Gramps, the famed venue in the heart of Miami's Wynwood district. Nowak will be performing with Miami Bass legend Neil Case, a.k.a. Bass Mekanik, for an exclusive sound clash that will be played on interacting mobile boom systems. For this performance, Nowak will drive and operate his "Sound Tank", a mobile 4000-watt subwoofer sound system sculpture, which will be making its ground-shaking debut on American soil.
"The Soundpanzer performance in Miami will combine a 'Car Sound System Clash', as it is known on the outskirts of urban metropolises, with an audiovisual composition, which will embrace the potential of sound as a weapon or cultural transmitter. Mobile Sound Systems are a global phenomenon, and through individual manifestations, can transform music and act as a vehicle for freedom, identity and emancipation," explains Nik Nowak. "Sound is a catalyst for social and societal processes – and technology plays a vital part in this. The collaboration with Sennheiser is the result of a mutual interest in this relationship."
Nik Nowak will also be exhibiting his Mobile Booster at the Sennheiser Lounge in Art Basel's Collectors Lounge, offering a closer look at a work that explores themes of sound projection, the interaction of music in public and private spheres, and the interface between man and machine.
Experience new dimensions in sound
Sennheiser will present video installations showing works by Nik Nowak and other visionary artists including Nigel Stanford at its Future Sound Cube, a unique venue for audio-visual artworks and Sennheiser Listening Experiences. Set in the Sennheiser Lounge, located within Art Basel's Collectors Lounge, the Future Sound Cube provides visitors with two unique sound experiences – AMBEO and the Sennheiser HE 1. AMBEO is Sennheiser's groundbreaking 3D Immersive Audio Technology, which brings a spatial dimension to music, immersing the listener in sound.
The Future Sound Cube also provides visitors with the rare chance to listen to the Sennheiser HE 1 – the best headphones in the world. As the successor to the legendary Orpheus from 1990/91, the HE 1 redraws the benchmark for audiophile sound and is the epitome of the audio specialist's art.
Meet the Future Audio Artists at Sennheiser's Art Talk
Once the vibrations on the Gramps performance have settled, Sennheiser will be hosting an Art Talk on December 2 with Nik Nowak. The artist will be in discussion with the members of the Future Audio Artists Program jury, the art-world luminaries Daniela Hinrichs, and Dr. h. c. Walter Smerling, about the evolution of sound in art, with Nowak providing insights into his work. The jury will also announce the next talented individual to join the Future Audio Artist Program.
To learn more about Sennheiser's vision to Shape the Future of Audio and its ongoing partnership with Art Basel, please visit:
www.sennheiser.com/shapethefutureofaudio
About Art Basel
Founded in 1970 by gallerists from Basel, Art Basel today stages the world's premier art shows for Modern and contemporary art, sited in Basel, Miami Beach, and Hong Kong. Defined by its host city and region, each show is unique, as reflected in its participating galleries, the artworks presented, and the parallel programming produced in collaboration with local institutions for each edition. In recent years, Art Basel's art-world engagement has expanded beyond art fairs. In 2014, Art Basel launched its Crowdfunding Initiative, in collaboration with Kickstarter, which has helped catalyzed much-needed support for outstanding non-commercial art projects worldwide and has helped pledge over $1.2 million to creative projects all over the world. For Art Basel Cities, launched in 2016, Art Basel will work with select partner cities to develop vibrant and content-driven programs specific to the individual city. Connecting them to the global art world through Art Basel's expertise and network, Art Basel Cities supports its partner cities in developing their unique cultural landscape. The first city Art Basel is partnering with for Art Basel Cities is Buenos Aires.
For further information please visit artbasel.com.
About Sennheiser
Audio specialist Sennheiser based in Wedemark near Hanover is one the world's leading producers of headphones, microphones and wireless transmission technology with its own plants in Germany, Ireland and the US. Sennheiser operates in more than 50 countries. Together with 19 subsidiaries and long-standing trading partners, the company sells innovative products and future-oriented audio solutions which are optimally tailored to customers' needs. This enthusiasm for audio technology is shared by some 2,750 employees worldwide who work for the family-run company, which was established in 1945. Daniel Sennheiser and Dr. Andreas Sennheiser took the helm in 2013 and are the third generation to manage the company. In 2015, the Sennheiser Group's turnover totaled 682 million. www.sennheiser.com