Erfan Abdi is an artist, designer and videographer based in The Netherlands. more…

This short video is documenting the process of recording several pieces composed by Martijn Padding at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. My part in this video is restricted to editing, as the Conservatoire provided all the footage.
This short video is reflecting the experiences of two master students at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. My part in this video is restricted to editing, as the Conservatoire provided all the footage.
A short version of the documentary about Dasht Foundation helping tree plantation in some rural parts of Tajikistan
Notesaaz is an instrument for live electronic music, and a proposal for a three stage process where the physical controller is used to navigate within a graphical score that on its turn controls the sound generation.
For the forth year, I give the workshop “sound and musical instruments” as guest teacher at IMC weekend school. This three-day course is designed for children between the ages of 10 and 12, where together with the participants we explore the physicality and different qualities of sound, and talk about why musical instruments are builtContinue reading →
Another 3-week workshop with the IMC weekend school for elementary students about sound and instrument design. During this workshop the participants learn some basic concepts about sound and what it means to build an instrument. It kicks off with a visit to the sound room at Museon, followed by a session during which we buildContinue reading →
As a part of the exhibition “Science of Sound”, I realised a first version of “All Is Well” in DordtYart from Sep. 1 to Oct. 7, 2018. Many thanks to my friends Sohrab Motabar, Setareh Goodarzi, Arefeh Riahi and Bardo Frings for their generous help, without which this work would not have been there. AndContinue reading →
Together with Shackle and Fraqx I am in the lineup of Vrooom #60 at Pink Pank in Rotterdam. I perform “Points of Contact” under a light that was designed for a different purpose, but is now (in my opinion) fitting the work so well!
Accompanying Nina Essendorp in her larp workshop at the iii workspace, I play Points of Contact as a sonic presence in their experience. Later in the evening I take part in a continuous lineup at No Patent Pending #33, playing Points of Contact, while the larp is still on.
Vibroplasm is a series of experiments in which objects are organised in a field, for physical vibration to pass through. The space is composed with physical objects that are equipped with contact microphones and contact speakers, and a performer activates the space by actuating the objects and creating acoustic connections between them.
“Points of Contact” is a performance with two feedback loops; one inside a cage and one outside. In this work, the performer explores the boundaries formed by a cage around his head, and forms acoustic feedback loops by creating points of contact between physical objects that are equipped with transducers and contact microphones. This work is a continuation of an ongoing research about the ways in which one can observe vibration as it passes through a field of objects.
For the third edition of Connector series at Steim, I spend a week of residency at their studio to prepare The Facility of the Other to present on September 7th, 2017. In the same venue I also perform “Points of Contact”, which is another outcome of my experiments with matter in space as pathway for vibrationContinue reading →
“All Is Well” is an experiment with marble maze as the building block for a composed instrument. It uses the acoustic properties of everyday material to create a spatial sound composition in form of a reactive installation that is run by audience participation. This sculpted spatial composition immerses the audience, and in each venue takes a shape specific to that site.
The facility of the other is the title of an interactive sound installation that turns the act of listening into a collaboration, by exposing layers of its multi-layered composition based on the number of its listeners. One can hear the composition by holding a metal bowl against sets of double springs that are stretched onContinue reading →
احسنت به جمیع برندگان حرف رئیس گوش کنندگان چندی از شما ماندنی اند باقی فراموش شوندگاناحسنت به فراموش کنندگان رقیب خاموش کنندگان هر کس در این مسابقه باخت تکه گوشت برای درندگاناحسنت به جمیع درندگان حرف به کرسی نشانندگان دستآورد تل انبار کنید دشمن خود خوارکنندگاناحسنت به برگزارکنندگان اسلحه انبار کنندگان پس ِمعرکه جای کلاهContinue reading →
Babel is the title of a performance piece based on the old myth of “the tower of Babylon”. It is produced by Baran theatre in Brisbane, in a collaboration between Nasim Khosravi, Greg Manning and myself.
‫روزی، گم شد سر نخ‬‫باعث و محصول زور‬‫چشم به بشقاب طلا‬‫گشنه، کتک خورده، دور‬‫چنگ به آرام فراموشی مهر گیاه ‬‫ترس برم داشت‬‫از این ساعت فرسوده که خوابید و‬‫سپردم به گور‬‫قیمت هر سوت هنر‬‫پنجاه سر عائله با طعم گچ و روغن و خون حلزون‬‫میوه ی فرهنگ و فکر‬‫مفت به سر بردن یک مشت فریبنده ی بیContinue reading →
I hold a 3-week workshop at the IMC weekend school  for elementary students about sound and instrument design. During this workshop the participants pay a visit to the sound room at the Museon to learn some basic concepts about sound. Then in the course of two weeks together we build some simple musical instruments while learning about waysContinue reading →
I perform “Scatterflow: Repetition on Notesaaz” in Lichtzaal at the Valkhof Park as a part of Extrapool program in Valkhof festival, Nijmegen.
On a very short notice and thanks to the efforts by the Iranian Society of Queensland and my friend Ali Vaezipour, I have the chance to present and perform with Notesaaz that ends with a Q&A session with the audience.
I participate as AV designer in the final development and presentation of the performance Vis and Ramin at Metro Arts. The performance is co-produced by Metro Arts and Baran theatre group, and presented from 10th to 15th of May 2016 in Sue Benner theatre hall in Metro Arts, Brisbane.
Vis and Ramin is one of the most famous narratives of pre-Islamic Iran, having endured through the past 2000 years as a tale of forbidden love, rebellion, rejection of social mores and the challenging of inherited political structures. It is often described as a Persian Romeo and Juliet, and believed to be an inspiration forContinue reading →
On the final day of the 6th edition of Limited Access, I had a presentation at Aaran Projects, and ended the evening with a 12 minute improvisation on Notesaaz. Thanks to Parkingallery Projects for organising this event, and to all friends who helped realising it.
A 3-week workshop at the IMC weekend school  for elementary students about sound and instrument design! During this workshop the participants visit the sound room at the Museon to learn some basic concepts about sound. Then in the course of two weeks together we build some simple musical instruments while learning about ways to influence pitch, color andContinue reading →
This year I will be participating in November Music Festival at Het Kruithuis in Den Bosch with Notesaaz and a version of Vibroplasm named Vibro-Panning.Vibro-panning is an interactive installation exploring active perception. It consists of acoustic feedback loops that only close when they are listened to, creating a tactile and sonic experience where one holds in her hands a part of the sound creating apparatus,Continue reading →
The ArtScience Interfaculty is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a full programme of performances, lectures and an exhibition on Saturday 27 June 2015 in Paradiso, Amsterdam. The programme is a collaboration of the ArtScience Interfaculty with Paradiso, Sonic Acts and the Holland Festival. Here you can find the programme.I perform “ScatterFlow – repetition on Notesaaz“.
Together with Nanda Milbreta, Leon Spek and Matthijs Munnik, I was featured in a documentary titled  “Sound and Vision”. The nearly hour long film is made by Jaap va Eyck for the occasion of 25th anniversary of ArtScience, and was broadcasted on NTR Podium program on NPO 2 Dutch public television. You can watch the film here:https://www.npo.nl/ntr-podium/23-11-2014/VPWON_1221431
On the occasion of Oorsprong curatorial series, Dewi Devree curated the following line-up:Amir Bolzman / ElectronicsErfan Abdi / vibroplasmMei-Yi Lee / PercussionVilbjorg Broch / Voice & Performance
Optical sound and data gloves: photodiodes, and laser on rotating mirrors documentation recording: Jaap van Eyckco-producer: Mahmoud Abdidezfuli
Radial, a variant of Notesaaz inside the Sphaerae, at TodaysArt festival in The Hague. Many thanks to Nenad Popov for his generous help in adjusting the piece to its spherical new screen!
Polar is a live audiovisual performance made in collaboration with Nenad Popov for inside the Sphaerae. In this performance Nenad performs on a generative set of cellular automata that is projected live on the inner surface of the dome, while I accompany him with the sound of Notesaaz.
On the occasion of Hoogtij, Het Nutshuis hosted iii for No Patent Pending #3, where Notesaaz trio was presented by Ben Terwel, Matteo Marangoni and myself.
«مش حسین» را بهنام توی میدون شهرک پیدا کرد یه روز. بالای ۷۰ سال سن داشت، نی دولبه می زد و آواز می خوند. توی خیابون با ساز و آواز زندگی می گذروند و فکر زن سوم بود. بهنام یه روز آوردش استودیو و صداش رو ضبط کرد. چند ماه بعد که گذار من بهContinue reading →
Together with M. Amir Lashkari we composed the soundtrack for the beautiful animation “One Stupid Idea” by Elham Doosthaghighi. This animation has been screened at several venues including:“16mm” international animation festival – Rome – 2008 March“Future Shorts” – Film festival – Tehran, London – 2009“Limited Access II” – Video, Sound, Performance – Free designers galleryContinue reading →