Exart

About

Exart existed in the Netherlands as an auditory alchemist's cauldron from 1982 to 1991, where the cassette format was king—38 of its 40 releases were committed to magnetic tape. It was an era when cassette culture was a fertile ground for the avant-garde, and Exart sowed its seeds with an interdisciplinary approach. The label's catalog is a sculptural exploration of experimental sound and multimedia, a liminal space where sonic evolution was not just a pursuit but a mandate. Key artists like Y Create and Gorgonzola Legs treated sound as a malleable substance, contributing to a catalog that was as diverse as it was cohesive. Releases such as "Hemoglobine" by Quintet De l'Art and the "Music From The White House" series are landmarks within this microcosm of auditory experimentation. Exart also delved into the realm of experimental radio, with works like "Black Written: Experimental Radio Programme No. 2" creating a dialogue between recorded sound and ephemeral broadcast. The label's affinity for the cassette was not mere nostalgia but a deliberate choice—an embrace of a format that mirrored the impermanent, evolving nature of the work itself. In a time when the auditory landscape was still largely linear, Exart offered a fractal experience, an intricate mosaic of sound that defied conventional boundaries.