Salima PunjaniPipo Pierre-LouiseSonic Explorations of Collective Grief
© Salima Punjani, image created by @licre.liane
Salima Punjani and Pipo Pierre-Louis have been working together since 2022 developing a mobile spatial sound studio. During their residency, they are focusing on holding sonic death cafes that will support the development of micro compositions that hold space for collective grief in a spatial sound environment.
Developed by Swiss sociologist and ethnographer Bernard Crettaz, death cafes are spaces that invite people to talk about death and grief, to make these conversations less taboo and to normalize them. After a residency exploring collective grief rituals in Switzerland in 2022, Salima decided to start hosting Sonic Death Cafes (SDC) - a way to collectively explore grief through sound and vibrotactile technology.
© Salima Punjani, image created by @licre.liane
Born in Vancouver in 1986, Salima Punjani is a multisensory artist that uses mediums like soft sculpture, vibrotactile, spatial sound, digital video and photography and relational aesthetics to build spaces for connection. Her artistic approach is intertwined with her interest in trauma-informed care and disability justice. She holds a B.A. in Communications and Political Science from Carleton University, a Graduate Diploma in Journalism from Concordia University and a Master’s in Social Work from McGill University with research focusing on the intersection of the arts and care work.
Born in Quito in 1989, Pipo Pierre-Louis is a composer, new media and video artist. Directly influenced by a multicultural background and a wide variety of academic disciplines, he has devoted himself since 2010 to creating pieces that blend digital music, video and interactive devices. Shown and broadcast internationally, his video work has also won awards for inclusion in the EQ Bank digital art collection. He holds a master’s degree in electroacoustic composition (UdM). At the same time, his expertise as a creative technologist has led him to work with many renowned artists and cultural institutions as a consultant, developer and technician.