Radicants
March 31, 2023 – Milan – by Anne Picq
We created the arts4society magazine to share the work of artists we admire. Although we usually highlight exhibitions or shows that you have time to see or enjoy, this time we will speak about a concert performed one night only at Triennale in Milan, on the occasion of the FOG festival. Why? Because Radicants is more than just a concert, it is a musical project created by Ballaké Sissoko and Lorenzo Bianchi Hoesch to unite different worlds - Europe and Africa, acoustic and electronic - through the encounter of kora, one of the most ancient musical instruments in Africa, with electronic music.
Malian musician Ballaké Sissoko is a virtuoso, and one of the most famous players of kora, a kind of lute harp native to West Africa. Trained by his father Djelimady Sissoko, he has - as some say - a unique way of playing this extraordinary instrument. Lorenzo Bianchi Hoesch is a composer and sound artist. Born in Milan, he lives and works in Paris, where he is an associate artist at IRCAM, the Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/Music in Paris, close to Centre Pompidou.
© Benoit Peverelli
Lorenzo Bianchi Hoesch © soukizy.com – Ballaké Sissoko © Benoit Peverelli
During this concert at Triennale Milano, two cultures and traditions came together to create a new form of art. Sometimes, Sissoko was leading and you could hear more distinctly the amazing sound of the kora. Sometimes it was Bianchi Hoesch who seemed in charge, exploring soundscapes and rhythms. But no matter what, they were always listening to one other and smiling, sometimes. It was an hour of harmony and mutual respect, between two styles but also two men, and shared with an audience of all ages. According to Hoesch’s website, the two artists will soon be recording an album together. We cannot wait to enjoy more of this beautiful dialogue – such moments of true grace allow you to believe that music, and more generally the arts, can actually unite people.
Lorenzo Bianchi Hoesch © lorenzobianchihoesch.com
Radicants
More about Ballaké Sissoko:
https://www.ballakesissoko.com/en/
More about Lorenzo Bianchi Hoesch:
https://lorenzobianchihoesch.com/
More about the Radicants project: