A stone is a stone is a stone explores the broad spectrum of qualities and manifestations of magnetism in the natural mineral magnetite (Fe3O4). Magnetite is a strongly ferromagnetic rock and, as one of the most common natural magnets in applied technology, is omnipresent in our daily lives. Inquiries into magnetism date back centuries and span both the history of science and spiritual movements. At the heart of all these questions lies a paradox that seems unsolvable: magnetism causes movement without touch, becomes visible in its effect but remains elusive itself.
The starting point of a stone is a stone is a stone is magnetite as a carrier of information in audio tape. Sound on tape is physical material; we can hold it and distort it – sound is subject to the laws of physics and capable of decay. Working with tape reveals something about the nature of our world: capriciousness, vulnerability and aesthetics. At the same time, it raises a new question: how can something that is intangible be capable of holding information?
A stone is a stone is a stone explores magnetite as a medium, object and symbol and seeks out the connections between art, science and applied technology. The project moves along geologists, historical experiments, a magnetite quarry and artistic working methods, centered around the key question: how can we comprehend magnetite?
In 2023 this resulted in the short experimental film NOUMENON. NOUMENON is a visual meditation on magnetic tape - a playground for electric voltage and magnetic particles, joined in formation. Sound on tape is physical matter. A substance, subject to the rules of physics and predetermined to decay.
When sound becomes substance, it is repeatable, malleable, manipulable. It branches into new realities: a deep sound that invites us to create our own truth. There is no original, only new meaning, shaped whenever we listen deeply and surrender to the sound.
This research project by Anneroos Goosen is supported by Makersfonds Tilburg.
NOUMENON was created as a film to accompany the A-side of the album Strangely similar to the original by Het Concreet, a Dutch sound collective dedicated to analog sound manipulation and experiment. The B-side of the album was filmed by Daniel Cross and resulted in the film A temporal brace.
A stone is a stone is a stone explores the broad spectrum of qualities and manifestations of magnetism in the natural mineral magnetite (Fe3O4). Magnetite is a strongly ferromagnetic rock and, as one of the most common natural magnets in applied technology, is omnipresent in our daily lives. Inquiries into magnetism date back centuries and span both the history of science and spiritual movements. At the heart of all these questions lies a paradox that seems unsolvable: magnetism causes movement without touch, becomes visible in its effect but remains elusive itself.
The starting point of a stone is a stone is a stone is magnetite as a carrier of information in audio tape. Sound on tape is physical material; we can hold it and distort it – sound is subject to the laws of physics and capable of decay. Working with tape reveals something about the nature of our world: capriciousness, vulnerability and aesthetics. At the same time, it raises a new question: how can something that is intangible be capable of holding information?
A stone is a stone is a stone explores magnetite as a medium, object and symbol and seeks out the connections between art, science and applied technology. The project moves along geologists, historical experiments, a magnetite quarry and artistic working methods, centered around the key question: how can we comprehend magnetite?
In 2023 this resulted in the short experimental film NOUMENON. NOUMENON is a visual meditation on magnetic tape - a playground for electric voltage and magnetic particles, joined in formation. Sound on tape is physical matter. A substance, subject to the rules of physics and predetermined to decay.
When sound becomes substance, it is repeatable, malleable, manipulable. It branches into new realities: a deep sound that invites us to create our own truth. There is no original, only new meaning, shaped whenever we listen deeply and surrender to the sound.
This research project by Anneroos Goosen is supported by Makersfonds Tilburg.
webdesign: anneroos goosen
built by: remco van dun
© 2025 het concreet