Stephan Crasneanscki, the enigmatic sound collector, is a tireless traveller, perpetually pursuing intriguing sounds and noises across the globe. He artfully weaves these auditory treasures into his creative endeavours, spanning soundscapes, literature, and visual art. Despite his recent prominent showcase at the Centre Pompidou in Paris this year, surprisingly little is known about him. He also happens to be a frequent visitor to Gstaad.

"I choose to remain an invisible figure as an individual. I am the Soundwalk Collective," declares the tall artist, referring to his artist collective. We met him in the Naegeli Gallery, the enigmatic sound collector stationed at a record player, conjuring the equally mysterious accompanying sounds for his artworks adorning the gallery walls. These artworks are divided among three walls, each dedicated to one of the three French poets central to Crasneanscki's artistic journey over the past eight years: Antonin Artaud, Arthur Rimbaud, and René Daumal. All three poets shared a common quest—to depart from their homeland and embark on journeys to distant lands in search of self-discovery and new sources of inspiration, as the artist explains.

Tracing the footprints of these three seekers of truth, Crasneanscki ventured into the Sierra Tarahumara in Mexico to capture Artaud's trance experiences induced by the psychedelic peyote plant. Next, he journeyed to Ethiopia, where Rimbaud established a coffee plantation. Finally, he followed Daumal to India, seeking the sacred mountain Nanda Devi in the Himalayas.

He returned from these expeditions with a suitcase brimming with sounds—the rustling wind, falling rain, and swirling dust of the red earth. But he also brought back images, films, and recordings. Moreover, he collected tangible artefacts such as peyote plants, fabrics, beads, wood, stones, and indigenous musical instruments. All these items serve as "evidence" of his spiritual pilgrimage and those of the three French poets.

This theme of "evidence" also served as the title of his exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, a monumental multimedia project that was on display from October 2022 to March 2023. The "Perfect Vision" exhibition at Studio Naegeli in Gstaad offers a glimpse of this larger Parisian exhibition, showcasing a fraction of its content.

Crasneanscki reflects on the exhibition's title, saying, "With creative processes, you don't usually know where the journey is going, but here it was clear: the evidence was coming, our journey was like a scientific process, like an investigative process."

A Legendary Partnership
Remarkably, his collaborator throughout these eight years of exploration was none other than the legendary "Godmother of Punk," Patti Smith, the multifaceted American punk and rock musician, singer-songwriter, lyricist, photographer, and painter. Their paths crossed on a flight from Paris to New York City, and on the Soundwalk Collective albums, you can hear Crasneanscki's collected sounds from these three journeys, with Patti Smith lending her voice to the words inspired by the landscapes.

But why does Gstaad get to host a miniature version of the Paris exhibition? Well, Stephan Crasneanscki is no stranger to Gstaad. He frequents the region where his mother owns a house, professing his love for the mountains, whether it's hiking, climbing, or taking a dip in the mountain lakes of Saanenland. He shares a special connection with the family of the late painter Balthus, who passed away in 2001 in Rossinière. Notably, he created sound installations for the Chapelle Balthus.

The "Perfect Vision" exhibition is currently on display at Studio Naegeli in Gstaad until October 15th. You can find more information at studionaegeli.com. You can read more about the gallery and the exhibition in this previous GstaadLife article called “A Personal Connection”

For a visual glimpse into the Paris exhibition "Evidence" at the Centre George Pompidou, you can watch the video here.


Based on AvS | Sonja Wolf

Stephan Crasneanscki, the creative force behind the Soundwalk Collective, established this international experimental sound art collective in 2001. Based in Berlin and New York, the collective engages in long-term collaborations with artists such as musician Patti Smith, actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg, and various others. They explore the narrative possibilities of sound across different media, including art installations, dance, music, and film.

About the name of Soundwalk Collective, Crasneanscki explains, "It's the initials of my name, S and C, for one thing. And then 'walk’ because I always walk in search of sounds."

Though Stephan Crasneanscki initially studied art in New York and trained in various artistic disciplines like painting, video, sculpture, and photography, he came to immerse himself deeply in the world of sounds later on. For him, sounds are "the most suitable medium" to express his artistic vision, perfectly aligning with his preference for constant movement and outdoor exploration.

Explore more on Soundwalk Collective here