LYDBILLEDER | RAQUEL MEYERS

Lydbilleder er ikke kun statiske billeder, printet på forsiden af et album. Lydbilleder er også noget, der afspejler livemusik; billeder der er i bevægelse, og som ændrer sig i forhold til musikken. Dynamisk og levende. Ligesom musikken selv.

For godt og vel et år siden arrangerede vores illustrationslærer, Signe Parkins, en række talks i vores frokostpauser. Det var en fantastisk god idé, hvor vi blev præsenteret for en masse forskellige illustratorer, der arbejder på forskellige måder med forskellige medier. En dag kom Raquel Meyers forbi og fortalte os om sit arbejde, og jeg blev fortryllet af hendes tilgang til illustration og især hendes tilgang til live visuals. Jeg er helt vild med den måde, som har dedikeret sit arbejde til gamle vintage spillekonsoller og text-tv på, så jeg tog derfor efterfølgende kontakt til hende. Her får i et lille indblik i hendes fantastiske visuelle verden.

Raquel Meyers | LWLVL Festival | Photo by chiptography.com

Who are you and where do you come from?
My name is Raquel Meyers and I am a spanish media artist living and working in Sweden. I define my practice as ‘keyboardslöjd’ which means that I am ‘drawing and crafting by typing’. I’m interested in a mix between traditional techniques like work-table (embroidery) and technologies from the late 70′s and 80′s, like the early home computers (Commodore 64) and teletext. My work is expanded mechanography where I use text characters instead of pixels.

What started your interest in visuals?
I have a background in analog photography. I started out working only with stills and when the digital cameras came around, I also began working with motion. It was a very natural move in my work. Also I’ve always been interested in film and animation. Motion is always a challenge because you need to include a narrative in your work.

Top: photos from Raquel Meyers Instagram @rakelmeyers | Bottom: Raquel Meyers | Type In workshop & exhibition, Copenhagen.

What is the process behind the content you use in your visuals?
I have an overflowing imagination and a strong love for books, comics and films. Sometimes words, sounds or situations can trigger a full idea for visuals. It’s a day-by-day process, so I always carry a notebook to write ideas or do small drawings in.

How do you prepare your sets?
Visuals are 50 % motion and 50 % sound. It’s very important to know which kind of music you will play to prepare the base, but the sets are made to be open and to be improvised over. There is always new content and no rehearsal.

Photos from Raquel Meyers’ Instagram @rakelmeyers.

What is, in your opinion, the most important thing for making visuals?
For me the most important thing is always storytelling. Most of the visuals are pure decorations or wall papers. They could be beautiful but at the end they become boring and you don’t pay attention to them anymore.

Raquel Meyers | Xpo Gallery, Paris | Photo by Vincianne Verguethen.

What kind of experience are you trying to give your audience?
A wonderland of chaos and eerie atmosphere with text-characters.

How do you collaborate with musicians?
It depends. Sometimes the music comes first and other times the visuals come first. I like it the most when they are made at the same time, but in any case they need to work together. Like they are just one.

Top: photos from Raquel Meyers’ Instagram @rakelmeyers | Bottom: Raquel Meyers | Alingsås Konsthall, Sweden | Photo by Geraldine Juárez.

What do you think the future of visuals will be?
To be honest, I don’t know. If there is challenge, honesty and fun the future looks bright. Whatever you do don’t take it for granted.