duologue

‘Vlees en Bloed’ (Flesh and Blood) is a project that came to life through the collaboration between De Ambassade and Simon Kaa. Pascal (De Ambassade) and Simon are both tremendously fascinated by ‘the human body’. The body, the physical, is an important element in their way of working; very tactile processes. Both accepting the flaws and coincidences of their materials and using these as a tool. There was an immediate mutual recognition in their working process and the way of making. Different outcomes, similar approach.

Simon: We knew each other’s work before we knew each other on a personal level. I made these analogue photos years ago. Never touched. Having met Pascal and having talked about our work, I knew it was the right time to look back at what had been made and see how time changed my perspective and to see if I could use the old work to create something new.
The processes of creation and degeneration go hand in hand. Degeneration, decay and creation are processes going on in your body as we speak. This is where my fascination for the body comes in.
The development of B/W photofilm is a tactile process. A process where time is very important. A process of bathing, cleaning and drying. A very tender process I’d say.

Pascal: The human body is the basis of this project. I used an old audio recording of a carnival speaker, who introduces a grotesque body at a fair. The recording is all about the exhibition of this human body, it is even being presented as an attraction, in this case. I used this approach on the rest of the musical elements in the song. I kept all the crackles and weird timing and proceeded finding the balance between the imperfection of the human body and my electrical fuelled synthesizers. I found my process is as if working with a body. Sound as excrement of the machines, almost physical.

the making of