Sound Henge with Madame Ceski

December 2022

Local experimental musical artist Madame Ceski invited you to step inside a life-sized stone circle, to be enveloped in a ritual soundscape and touch tactile stones to trigger sounds, in a transformative musical experience.

Inspired by the history, archaeology & folklore of stone circles, the artist is creating a space that uses our senses to link ancient to modern.
Stone circles are places of connection (community and land) and experience (ritual and sensory).

Through the use of multi-speaker sound installation & tactile sound technology, the artist will ignite this dialogue, creating a reflective space that draws on our relationship with the land, the skies above & the rhythm of the natural world.

The stones are created through a process similar to rug making (tufting/latch-hook). During her time in the space, the artist will set up an area for the public to do self-led tufting, with materials and instructions provided. These tufts will create an additional mossy carpet to be added to the installation throughout the residency.

Winter Solstice

During the project there was an evening of celebration, dance, music, food, drink, talks, ritual and folklore as we welcome in The Winter Solstice. Including:

• Morris dancing and music from Stroud’s incredible all-female side Boss Morris
• An improvised live set, by Madame Ceski
• A talk by British archaeologist Susan Greaney about Bristol local Stone Circle Stanton Drew – ‘The Forgotten Stone Circle of Stanton Drew’
• Delicious hot food and drink, from The Orchard Bakery & Co. 
• A pop up shop by the mushroom farm running from St Anne’s House, The Flushrooms.

Events and activities that happened

Saturday 03 Dec: 10am – 12pm, Listen & Tuft:

Family friendly open session – the public were invited to try their hand at tufting as they listened to dreamy improvised music on violin, viola & musical saw.

Tuesday 06 Dec: 10am – 12pm, Baby & Toddler Listen & Relax: 0-18 months were welcomed in to relax to the sounds of improvised music, performed live by the artist.

Thursday 15 Dec: 10am – 12pm – Behind the Scenes of Sound Henge: Artist’s talk at the Morning Meet-up. The artist shares insights into the project research and her fascination with Folk and ritual practices.

Friday 16 Dec: 5.30 – 7pm, Sound Henge Live:

5.30pm – 9pm – Exhibition Opening

7.30pm – Talk with guest speaker, University of Bristol’s Professor Ronald Hutton on Stonehenge.

Sound Henge with Madame Ceski

I’m a Welsh composer, performer & collaborator, based in St.George Bristol. Using song, improvisation, performance & experimentation, my work focuses on ‘folk’ in its widest sense – people’s habits & traditions, ranging from the mundane to the spiritual.

My work is string & vocal based with improvisation & field recordings, juxtaposing acoustic instruments, fluid tuning systems & handmade sounds. I often collaborate across artforms, such as working with visual collectives like 1927 theatre & The Paper Cinema, & am currently a resident of Pervasive Media Studios, Watershed. 

Recent projects include Arts Council’s Developing Your Creative Practice, EFDSS’ Alan James Creative Bursary 2021-22, a Ty Cerdd mentorship with AV artist Kathy Hinde plus a Sound & Music Covid-19 Award for Covid Ritual Music, exhibited as part of Grayson Perry’s Art Club at Bristol Museum.

Follow my day to day work on instagram @madameceski, website: francescasimmons.com

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