Serge Bulat huwa artist interdixxiplinarju u kompożitur li jaħdem fl-intersezzjoni bejn l-arti tal-ħoss, il-prestazzjoni u l-prattika bbażata fuq ir-riċerka. Ix-xogħol tiegħu jeżamina l-ħoss bħala trasportatur tal-memorja kulturali, stati psikoloġiċi, u bidla ambjentali.
Huwa jopera fuq installazzjonijiet, aġenti ħajjin u proġetti ta’ riċerka fit-tul fejn għaldaqstant Bulat huwa magħruf għall-prattiċi tiegħu li jenfasizzaw is-smigħ soniku, il-ħin u iż-żmien, u l-attenzjoni lejn spazji u fenomeni li ħafna drabi jiġu injorati.
Il-proġetti tiegħu jidħlu fil-fond fil-kuntesti lokali filwaqt li jibqgħu miftuħa għal skambju u kollaborazzjoni transkulturali. Bulat ippreżenta x-xogħol tiegħu internazzjonalment permezz ta’ wirjiet, residenzi, prestazzjonijiet u pubblikazzjonijiet, u jkompli jiżviluppa prattiki ibridi li jiċċaqalqu bejn il-ħolqien artistiku, l-involviment komunitarju u r-riċerka sonika.
Between Harbours huwa ambjent ta’ smigħ maħluq mill-artist Moldovu-Amerikan Serge Bulat, li se jiġi ppreżentat fit-28 ta’ Awwissu 2026 u li ġie żviluppat matul ir-residenza artistika tiegħu fi Spazju Kreattiv.
Qabel l-internet kien hemm il-qniepen: netwerk mifrux ta’ sinjali akustiċi li kien jgħarraf komunitajiet sħaħ x’għandhom jagħmlu u meta, mingħajr wajers, mingħajr skrins, u mingħajr intermedjarji. Għal sekli sħaħ, huma kienu jirregolaw ir-ritmu tal-ħajja ta’ kuljum. Hekk kif it-teknoloġija bidlet il-mod kif nikkomunikaw, il-qniepen baqgħu magħna, aktar bil-mod, aktar tanġibbli, aktar umani, iġorru tip ta’ sinjal li l-ebda apparat għadu ma rnexxielu jissostitwixxi kompletament. It-Tliet Ibliet ta’ Malta, fejn it-tisfir tal-qniepen għadu jiġi mgħallem u pprattikat, u fejn il-port iwassal il-ħoss minn komunità għal oħra fuq l-ilma, huma post fejn din l-istorja għadha tinstema’.
Dan ix-xogħol jifforma parti minn Phonomundi, il-proġett kontinwu ta’ antropoloġija sonika ta’ Bulat li jiddokumenta pajsaġġi tal-ħoss li qed jisparixxu f’22 pajjiż. Between Harbours iwassal lis-semmiegħ lil hinn mill-port ta’ Malta lejn dan l-arkivju usa’, qabel ma jerġa’ jġibu lura lejn l-istess ilmijiet minn fejn beda. Ix-xogħol huwa wkoll parti mis-serje Idle Labor ta’ Bulat, li f’din l-edizzjoni tiffoka fuq mistoqsija li jidher li l-qniepen stess qed iwieġbu: min, jew xiex, għandu d-dritt jissejjaħ artist?
Meta jidħlu, il-viżitaturi jintlaqgħu minn qanpiena żgħira u furketta tal-intonazzjoni (tuning fork), stedina biex jaġġustaw mill-ġdid is-smigħ tagħhom qabel jidħlu fl-ispazju. Ġewwa, installazzjoni spazjali ta’ ritratti soniċi mqiegħda f’gwarniċi ddawwar sessjoni ta’ smigħ live, taħlita bejn wirja, performance u arkivju li jingħata vuċi. Dak li l-ispazju jistaqsi dwar l-awturija ma jispjegahx direttament, iżda jħallih jiżvela ruħu.
Nistgħu nimmaġinaw futur mingħajr il-ħoss ta’ qanpiena? U kieku dan iseħħ bil-kwiet, konna nindunaw?
Embracing Rhythm in Times of Change : L-Arkivjar tal-Wirt Akustiku tal-Qanpiena fir-Reġjun tal-Port
Matul ir-residenza tiegħu f’Spazju Kreattiv, Serge Bulat se jiżviluppa proġett ta’ riċerka bbażat fuq il-ħoss li jiffoka fuq id-dokumentazzjoni u l-preservazzjoni attenta tal-prattiki tal-qanpiena u l-pajsaġġ akustiku u storiku li dejjem sawwar il-port ta’ Malta.
B’attenzjoni partikolari lejn it-Tliet Ibliet: il-Birgu, l-Isla u Bormla, il-proġett jesplora kif il-qniepen għal żmien twil iffurmaw ir-ritmu komunitarju, l-orjentazzjoni u l-identita`, bil-ħoss tagħhom jivvjaġġa fit-toroq mimlijja kulur u karattru, il-fortizzi, il-port u l-baħar.
Permezz ta’ rekordjar fuq il-post, kollaborazzjonijiet mill-qrib ma’ karattri lokali li jdoqqu l-qniepen, u smigħ soniku tal-ambjent marittimu ta’ madwarhom, ir-residenza tesplora kif dawn il-prattiki tal-ħoss huma ffurmati mill-ġeografija, it-temp, id-densita` urbana, u pressjonijiet kontemporanji bħall-bidla fil-klima u t-turiżmu. Il-ħoss jiġi trattat bħala wirt ħaj, mhux biss xi ħaġa x’tiġi arkivjata, iżda xi ħaġa li trid tinftiehem fir-rigward tal-post, il-memorja u l-ħajja ta’ kuljum.
Ix-xogħol se jiżviluppa permezz ta’ sessjonijiet irrekordjati, konversazzjonijiet u esperjenzi soniċi, fejn il-materjal jitfaċċa bil-mod u fid-djalogu mal-komunita`. Pjuttost milli joffri riżultat fiss, ir-residenza tagħti prijorita` lill-proċess, l-attenzjoni u l-kontinwita`, u tpoġġi l-pedamenti għal xogħlijiet artistiċi futuri, preżentazzjonijiet pubbliċi, u arkivju soniku fit-tul li jirrifletti l-identita` akustika unika tal-ibliet fil-port ta’ Malta.
Mistoqsijiet u Tweġibiet
Għidilna ftit dwarek.
Jien artist li naħdem fil-qasam tal-prestazzjoni, il-kompożizzjoni, ir-rekordjar fuq il-post, l-installazzjoni u formati parteċipattivi. Twelidt fir-Repubblika tal-Moldova, fiż-żona fruntiera, u aktar tard emigrajt f’diversi bliet qabel stabbilixxejt ruħi fl-Istati Uniti. Din l-esperjenza ta’ moviment kontinwu tkompli tiffurma kif naħseb u naħdem.
Nara l-kreattivita` bħala mezz li jippermetti lin-nies jiltaqgħu mal-kumplessita` mingħajr ma jinqabdu fiha, mod kif wieħed jibqa’ attent, ottimist u produttiv mingħajr ma jiċħad id-diffikulta`. Il-prattika tiegħi spiss tibda waqt mixi u jinvolvi smigħ, fejn inqis il-ħoss mhux bħala sfond iżda bħala mezz biex nifhem il-post, l-identità u l-bidla. Jien miġbud lejn spazji tranżizzjonali, tradizzjonijiet fraġli, u dettalji soniċi sottili li jiffurmaw il-ħajja ta’ kuljum. Permezz tas-smigħ, spiss insib konnessjonijiet bejn il-filosofija, l-espressjoni artistika u l-komunita`.
Għidilna ftit dwar il-prattika tiegħek fl-arti u x’inhu jispirak.
Il-prattika tiegħi hija mmexxija mis-smigħ bħala att kemm artistiku kif ukoll etiku. Naħdem bil-ħoss ambjentali, l-etnomużikoloġija, l-istorji orali u l-kompożizzjoni esperimentali biex nesplora kif il-ħoss jirrifletti bidliet kulturali, memorji u stati psikoloġiċi. Jispirawni mumenti ta’ laqgħat spontanji, sitwazzjonijiet fejn attenzjoni bir-reqqa jiżvelaw aspetti ġodda ta’ għarfien.
Din il-kurżita` dejjem tiġi akkumpanjata minn sens ta’ umilta`, konxju ta’ kemm fil-verita` nafu ftit dwar id-dinja li ngħixu fiha. Dak il-bilanċ bejn il-kurżita` u n-nuqqas ta’ għarfien hu dak li jmexxi x-xogħol tiegħi. Inizjattivi fit-tul bħal Phonomundi, Cornershop, u Inkblot jiffurmaw il-qalba tar-riċerka tiegħi. Dawn il-proġetti jindirizzaw prattiċi soniċi fil-periklu, l-iskambju interkulturali, u r-relazzjoni bejn il-ħoss u s-saħħa mentali, spiss permezz ta’ aġenti diversi li jgħaqqdu l-artistiku, l-arkivistiku u l-parteċipattiv.
Jiena partikolarment interessat fil-ħsejjes li jeżistu fil-marġini, affarijiet li nisimgħu kuljum imma bilkemm nagħtu kashom, jew ħsejjes li s-sors tagħhom jirriżulta li hu xi ħaġa kompletament mhux mistennija. Nemmen li smigħ attiv jista’ jiftaħ forom ġodda ta’ konnessjoni u fehim.
X’tittama li tikseb bir-residenza tiegħek f’Malta?
Jiena interessat li nisimgħu lil Malta bħala ambjent akustiku kumpless, iffurmat mill-istorja, il-migrazzjoni, ix-xogħol u l-bidla ambjentali. Lil hinn miż-żmien u l-ispazju biex napprofondixxi r-riċerka tiegħi, ir-residenza toffri opportunita` rari biex nitgħallem direttament mingħand prattikanti ta’ arti li qed tisparixxi. Il-qanpiena mhijiex biss tradizzjoni storika, iżda prattika li għadha rilevanti sal-lum, toffri ritmu, orjentazzjoni u sens ta’ preżenza kollettiva f’dinja dejjem aktar frammentata.
Matul ir-residenza, l-għan tiegħi hu li niżviluppa materjal soniku ġdid permezz ta’ rekordjar fuq il-post u xogħol fl-istudjo, filwaqt li nħeġġeġ skambji informali ma’ artisti u komunitajiet lokali. Sessjonijiet ta’ smigħ kondiviż, mixjiet soniċi u mumenti kollettivi se jkunu parti importanti minn dan il-proċess. Pjuttost milli niffoka fuq riżultat wieħed, l-għan tiegħi hu li nibni pedament għal xogħol futur billi noħloq materjal, relazzjonijiet u mistoqsijiet li jistgħu jkomplu jevolvu lil hinn mir-residenza u jikkontribwixxu b’mod sinifikanti għall-ekosistema artistika ta’ Spazju Kreattiv.
Serge Bulat is an interdisciplinary artist and composer working at the intersection of sound art, field recording, performance, and research-based practice. His work examines sound as a carrier of cultural memory, psychological states, and environmental change.
Working across installations, live formats, and long-term research projects, Bulat is known for practices that foreground listening, duration, and attention to spaces and phenomena that are often overlooked.
His projects engage deeply with local contexts while remaining open to cross-cultural exchange and collaboration. Bulat has presented his work internationally through exhibitions, residencies, performances, and publications, and continues to develop hybrid practices that move between artistic creation, community engagement, and sonic research.
Embracing Rhythm in Times of Change: Archiving the Acoustic Legacy of Bell Ringing in the Port Region
During his residency at Spazju Kreattiv, Serge Bulat will develop a sound-based research project focused on the documentation and attentive preservation of bell ringing practices and the wider acoustic landscape of Malta’s historic port region. With particular attention to the Three Cities – Vittoriosa (Birgu), Senglea (Isla), and Cospicua (Bormla) – the project examines how bells have long shaped communal rhythm, orientation, and identity, their sound travelling across streets, fortifications, harbours, and the sea.
Through field recordings, close collaboration with local bell ringers, and careful listening to the surrounding maritime environment, the residency explores how these sound practices are shaped by geography, weather, urban density, and contemporary pressures such as environmental change and tourism. Sound is approached as living heritage – not only something to be archived, but something to be understood in relation to place, memory, and daily life.
The work will unfold through recording sessions, conversations, and shared listening experiences, allowing material to emerge slowly and in dialogue with the community. Rather than presenting a fixed outcome, the residency prioritizes process, attention, and continuity, laying the groundwork for future artistic works, public presentations, and a long-term sound archive reflecting the unique acoustic identity of Malta’s port cities.
Questions & Answers
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am an artist working across performance, composition, field recording, installation, and participatory formats. I was born in the Republic of Moldova, in a border region, and later moved across multiple cities before settling in the United States. This experience of movement and in-betweenness continues to shape how I think and work.
I see creativity as a medium that allows people to engage with complexity without becoming trapped in it, a way to remain attentive, optimistic, and productive without denying difficulty. My practice often begins with walking and listening, treating sound not as background but as a way of understanding place, identity, and change. I am drawn to transitional spaces, fragile traditions, and subtle sonic details that shape everyday life. Through listening, I often discover connections between philosophy, artistic expression, and community.
Tell us a bit about your art practice and what inspires you.
My practice is driven by listening as both an artistic and ethical act. I work with environmental sound, ethnomusicology, oral histories, and experimental composition to explore how sound reflects cultural shifts, memory, and psychological states. I am inspired by moments of spontaneous encounter – situations where careful attention reveals an unexpected terrain of knowledge. This curiosity is always accompanied by a sense of humility, an awareness of how little we truly know about the world we inhabit.
That balance between curiosity and not-knowing is what drives my work. Long-term initiatives such as Phonomundi, Cornershop, and Inkblot form the core of my research. These projects address endangered sound practices, cross-cultural exchange, and the relationship between sound and mental health, often through hybrid formats that combine artistic, archival, and participatory approaches. I am especially interested in sounds that exist on the margins – things we hear daily but rarely notice, or sounds whose sources turn out to be something entirely unexpected. I believe attentive listening can open new forms of connection and understanding.
What do you hope to achieve with your residency in Malta?
I am interested in listening to Malta as a complex acoustic environment shaped by history, migration, labor, and environmental change. Beyond time and space to deepen my research, the residency offers a rare opportunity to learn directly from practitioners of a disappearing craft. Bell ringing is not only a historical tradition, but a practice that still carries relevance today, offering rhythm, orientation, and collective presence in an increasingly fragmented world.
During the residency, I aim to develop new sonic material through field recording and studio work, while engaging in informal exchanges with local artists and communities. Shared listening sessions, sound walks, and collaborative moments will be an important part of this process. Rather than focusing on a single outcome, my goal is to build a foundation for future work by creating material, relationships, and questions that can continue to evolve beyond the residency and contribute meaningfully to Spazju Kreattiv’s artistic ecosystem.