HVAD DØGN: A 24 hour subterranean sound ritual

HVAD DØGN is a 24 hour subterranean sound ritual by HVAD, exploring circular time, space and sound. HVAD DØGN unfolds in Cisternerne January 6-7 2024, from Saturday 03.33 AM to Sunday 03:33 AM.

Commissioned by Strøm, the Danish/Indian composer and producer HVAD (aka Hari Shankar Kishore) has spent the last three years exploring the unique soundscapes of Cisternerne, the old underground water reservoirs of the Danish capital. The result is HVAD DØGN, a 24 hour long subterranean sound ritual.

Over the last three years HVAD has recorded a myriad of sounds in the spectacular acoustics. His many recordings have been reworked in the Kommunal Dubplate Service studio, before returning back to the old reservoirs to record again. A circular process, which makes Cisternerne’s underworldly spatial and acoustic properties the key elements of the HVAD DØGN sound ritual.

HVAD has composed three meditative pieces, each 24 hours long [a ‘døgn’ in Danish), for the three chambers of Cisternerne. Using the sound recordings as building blocks he combines these with studio experimentations on specially-cut gramophone records, electronic sound equipment and classical Indian instruments.

HVAD DØGN sound ritual is the first music experience ever in Cisternerne which uses all three chambers simultaneously. HVAD’s compositions for each chamber interweave like planetary orbits over the 24 hours, and HVAD will occasionally interact with the sound ritual as a master of ceremonies, improvising with speakers and turntables using his home-made records as well as various other instruments, including ancient Indian drums, stringed instruments and resonating metals.

With a ticket to HVAD DØGN you can enter Cisternerne whenever and as often as you like during the 24 hours, exploring HVAD’s notion of circular time, space and sound while creating your own subterranean sound journey.

In 2024, it will be 10 years since the relaunch of Cisternerne as an underground art space, where an annual site-specific exhibition is showcased alongside a program of high-profile cultural events. The anniversary year will be celebrated with ambitious highlights. HVAD DØGN is the first highlight of the anniversary year – commissioned by Strøm, which also presented the first musical event in the new Cisternerne.

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Music and concept: HVAD
Curator and producer: Frederik Birket-Smith
Sound: Mina Göl Bertelsen
Light: Laurids Poulsen
Graphic design: Andreas Korsgaard Rasmussen
Photo : Catherine Pattinama Coleman

HVAD DØGN is presented by: Strøm, Frederiksbergmuseerne, Kommunal Dubplate Service, Frederiksberg Kommune, Københavns Kommune, Statens Kunstfond, Frederiksbergfonden, Wilhelm Hansen Fonden, Bestles Fond.