Artist
AR/TE
AR/TE, a Belgian experimental artist active from 1962 to 1984, crafts raw soundscapes through tape collage and found sound manipulation.
About
AR/TE emerged in Belgium, an enigmatic presence from 1962 until its cessation in 1984. Pure tape, a medium of intention. No frills, just raw soundscapes etched on six cassettes — their preferred format, a process-driven choice that speaks to the ephemeral yet enduring nature of their work. Each release a fragment of a fractal, revealing harsh soundscapes and abstract compositions. A confluence of found sound manipulation and tape collage, AR/TE's sonic identity is sculptural, a testament to the power of resonance and decay. Corpulair, released in 1984 on Club Moral, stands as a poignant farewell, a final discourse in their auditory journey. "Power - Impotence" (1983) self-released, a duality of force and feebleness, encapsulates their liminal explorations. The Belgian soil nurtured them, a quiet backdrop to their aural experiments. Club Moral, a label network they frequented, provided the platform for their interdisciplinary pursuits. AR/TE's legacy lies in the echoes of its self-released tapes, in the interplay of power dynamics within sound, in the stark Belgian context that shaped them. A closed chapter yet a vivid page in the annals of experimental music.