Three Cities, Three Festivals: MUTEK Celebrates Innovation in Argentina, Chile, and Mexico
After a month focused on Europe, October will be packed with events in Latin America, with three editions of MUTEK taking place in three cities: Buenos Aires, Santiago, and Mexico City, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary.
This region has actively contributed to our ventures since 2002, with the first events held during a tour that visited Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil.
MUTEK Buenos Aires
8th Edition | 2–5 October
MUTEK Buenos Aires grew rapidly, hosting single and multi-day events until 2010, establishing itself as an important hub connecting South American, European, and international artists.
Revitalised in 2017 by Artlab, a creative platform for art and technology based in Argentina, MUTEK Buenos Aires has become an unmissable event on the cultural calendar, providing a space for diversity and convergence in terms of art, technology, culture, accessibility, and gender. The Argentine organisation has developed a strong network of female artists; in 2019, more than 60% of the line-up consisted of women and non-binary individuals.
Today, MUTEK Buenos Aires is a platform that showcases artistic innovations to the public, while serving as a meeting point and a space for exchange and dissemination for both artists and the local and international community.
MUTEK Santiago
MICRO MUTEK.CL | 3–5 October
In the early 2000s, MUTEK organised several events across South America, including in Santiago, Chile. The first South American edition took place in January 2004.
Inspired by the Montréal model, MUTEK.CL offered concerts and performances across various venues over five days, bringing together around forty artists from Chile, South America, and beyond.
In 2023, we had the opportunity to reconnect with the city through the MICRO MUTEK.CL event. This year, we continue our objective: to bring together local electronic musicians and digital artists while reimagining a fresh approach that fosters digital creativity and encourages the exchange of ideas.
Canadian Projects Showcased Internationally
True to our values of promoting Quebec and Canadian talent, MUTEK Montréal will present five projects during the Buenos Aires and Santiago editions, thanks to support from the Government of Quebec through the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.
Ciel – First Light
Ciel (Cindy Li), a DJ, producer, and promoter based in Toronto, debuts her new live set. Featuring new productions alongside some of her favourite past compositions, Ciel’s live performance showcases the same refined melodic sensibility and hard-hitting rhythms found in her DJ sets.
Honeydrip & Emma Forgues – Psychotropical
Psychotropical by Honeydrip is a tribute to dub, reggae, and dancehall, while maintaining her signature bass-heavy dancefloor sound. This live set, in collaboration with A/V artist Emma Forgues, is inspired by the effects of psychotropic substances on behaviour, emotions, thoughts, and perception.
Ida Toninato & Pierre-Luc Lecours – Homeostasis
Pierre-Luc Lecours and Ida Toninato bridge the acoustic and electronic worlds through the combination of baritone saxophone, modular synthesiser, and real-time video generation. Inspired by concepts of balance, ecology, and the harmony of the Fibonacci sequence, they explore the intersection of nature and humanity in their second full-length show, Homeostasis.
Martin Messier – 1 drop, 1000 years
1 drop, 1000 years by Martin Messier is an immersive audiovisual performance that illustrates the vital and fragile role of the thermohaline circulation system. Using advanced technologies, Messier captures the essence of global ocean currents, highlighting their delicate balance and the urgent human impact on climate regulation.
Priori & Jek – This But More
The introspective soundscapes of Priori’s latest album, This But More, are accompanied by the captivating visuals of Jek. This collaboration merges acoustic and electronic elements to create a stunning audio-visual experience.
After this week between Argentina and Chile, all eyes will turn to Mexico, where MUTEK Mexico will celebrate its 20th anniversary. This event promises to be a highlight of the cultural calendar, honouring two decades of creativity, international collaborations, and community engagement.
MUTEK Mexico by DEFENDER
20th Anniversary | 7-20 October
This year, 2024, marks a triple anniversary for MUTEK. After celebrating the 15th anniversary of Barcelona in April and a quarter of a century for Montréal in August, we are now preparing to celebrate the 20th anniversary of MUTEK Mexico, founded in 2004.
For two weeks, Mexico City will become a meeting place where artists, collectives, and audiences, who have been exploring the possibilities of technology and art for decades, will engage with the new generations ready to take the torch and lead us into the future of digital art.
On this occasion, a significant delegation of professionals organized by MUTEK in collaboration with XN Québec, including artists, studios, and representatives from cultural organizations, will travel to Mexico to strengthen and further develop relations between Quebec and Mexico.
In parallel, over a dozen artistic projects from Quebec and Canada will be featured in the Festival’s artistic programme, thanks to the support of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.