Passepartout Duo (Italy/US)

Bio

Nicolette and Christopher are drawing from a carefully selected palette of electro-acoustic textures and shapeshifting rhythms, Passepartout Duo’s work investigates the way in which we listen to and connect with sound. Reassessing the tools they use to create their music, the group is continually developing a specialized and evolving ecosystem of handmade musical instruments that have ranged from analog electronic circuits and conventional percussion, to room-size textile installations and found objects. Looking for ways of sustaining an independent musical career and shaping an international network of artists and musicians, the group has been on a nearly continuous world tour ever since they began collaborating in 2015, and their experiences traveling have heavily influenced their unconventional creative process. A recent visit to Japan resulted in a unique collaboration with the duo Inoyama Land, which was subsequently released as Radio Yugawara (2024) by the label imprints of Tonal Union and Inpartmaint.

Project

Passepartout Duo aims to build a public accessible library where local residents can borrow and use unique handcrafted musical instruments. Our goal is to identify the skills and materials already present in the community that are not necessarily associated with the world of music making, but can be valued in this building process with new perspectives. We hope to establish a conversation about ways of cultivating sound imagination, and codifying what makes an object a ‘musical instrument’. Scrap materials can be also collected and eventually employed in the process.This library focuses on an alternative entry point into art and music. We will take care of designing them, combining the right amount of electronic amplification to make them sound good; the building process can be collective, and each of the instruments will come with an identity card showing its features, materials, and the names of its builders.