Art Against Global System
MUSLAB 2026 - KARMA:
Cause – Effect
International Exhibition of Electroacoustic Music, Video Art and Image
Transforming the world through art
In this case, the interest lies in the conception of a law of cause and effect with the purpose of reflecting on it from the perspective of contemporary art.
The KARMA project invites artists and specialists from different fields and from around the world to submit proposals regarding the concept of "karma," the law of cause and effect, paying special attention precisely to the visible causes and effects of the world and the current reality in which we live. Every phenomenon is a consequence of one or more causes. In theology, one often speaks of a "creation" of the world. In science, it is proposed that the initial conditions of a phenomenon determine the behavior and development of that phenomenon. If we know the seed, we will know what type of tree or plant will result from it if it germinates. If we have sufficient information about the initial conditions of a particular phenomenon, we could predict its behavior. In isolated systems, this works quite well, but in open systems, external influences must be considered as part of the conditions that determine the behavior of the phenomenon being studied, since other causes can influence it. The word KARMA is a concept that originally comes from India and is the law of cause and effect. Karma is neither good nor bad; it is simply the law that results from the relationship between causes and effects. The cosmic system of causes and effects is a vast, complex web of behavior in which our actions are causes that have effects on our destinies and on the overall web of the universe, which also influences our lives, determining our future along with our actions. The world we know is subject to the law of cause and effect. From a Hindu and Buddhist perspective, it is an illusory world in which we are trapped in cycles of reincarnation, subject to Karma and its effects. Perseverance in certain actions that are positive causes will bring positive effects and, consequently, liberation from the cycle of reincarnation and transcendence to another plane associated with the concept of Nirvana. For thousands of years, beliefs, religions, philosophies, and sciences have been important resources for developing knowledge that can explain what the world is, what we are, what phenomena are, and how things work separately and together, how they relate to each other, and how we must act to navigate a given context. Understanding how phenomena work helps us predict their behavior and, consequently, adapt to the ever-changing environment. Originally, the need to know stemmed from the need for survival and adaptation to a changing environment. Currently, the environment also changes as a consequence of our actions, meaning the environment must adapt to us, not just us adapting to the environment. It is now a reciprocal relationship that we wish to reflect upon. Observing nature, it is evident that things transform. This transformation is subject to the properties of time. Its study and interpretation have given rise to calendars, clocks, oracles, mathematical models, and other resources for understanding and utilizing it. The aim has not only been to predict the future, but also to understand it. The present and understanding of the past as a single system—the historical process of society within the history of our planet, immersed in the history of the universe, and, at some point, our own brief personal history—are all part of this mechanism of systems at different scales, governed by the simple principle of cause and effect. In the context of complexity science, in addition to initial conditions and possible external influences, when phenomena are sufficiently complex systems—that is, when they are complex systems—self-organized behaviors and emergent properties can appear from within the system itself, modifying its behavior. Regarding the behavior of complex systems, one of their defining characteristics is the relationship between causes and effects. When the relationship between causes and effects is not proportional—that is, when small effects have large causes or large causes have small effects—then it is a complex system. We are interested in deepening our understanding of the relationship between causes and effects as a complex system.
CALL FOR ENTRIES:
• MUSLAB opens its call for projects 2026:
Composers and visual artists of any age, gender, or nationality are invited to participate by submitting their electroacoustic music or video art works to the MUSLAB 2026 International Electroacoustic Music Showcase. Guidelines: Work specifications.
Submission deadline:July 1, 2026.
• Maximum duration of works 15 MIN.
• Only one work per composer will be accepted. • Works must be signed by the author(s) (pseudonyms are not permitted). • All works are eligible, including those previously submitted to competitions and concerts, provided they are accompanied by a letter of consent for their submission. • The author assumes responsibility for having the rights to submit and publish the work presented to this exhibition. • There is no registration fee. Categories: • Category A (audio only): open to self-contained stereo electroacoustic musical compositions (tape music). Number of channels allowed: stereo, 4.0, 5.1, 8.0 • Category B (audio and video): open to stand-alone electroacoustic musical compositions, with single-movement video regardless of duration. Number of channels allowed: stereo, 4.0, 5.1, 8.0Number of channels allowed: stereo, 4.0, 5.1, 8.0
Allowed formats: .aif, .wav, .mov, .mp4
• Category C (visual works): open to compositions of visual works, 70 x 90 cm, 300 dpi.
Submission of works
You must register by filling out the form at the bottom of the page and attach the following documents in a single zip file to the download link:
1. A photograph in good Resolution.
2. Signed consent form. (Download here).
3. Full version of the piece. WAV or AIFF version, MP4 For video. 1080p (HD): 1920 × 1080.. (TO DOWNLOAD)
4. Attach a stereo copy of the piece in stereo .mp3 format
5. Pieces in multiphonic formats that wish to participate in the CD production selection must also send a stereo version in WAV or AIFF format.
Incomplete documentation will not be considered.
IMPORTANT: Do not use file storage services that delete uploaded files after a certain time (e.g., WeTransfer).
Your files must be available at all times and up to the date for publishing the results. Some options are: Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive. About the selection of works.
MUSLAB extends an invitation to renowned composers and musicologists, all with extensive experience in electroacoustic music, to form a Selection Committee that will review the sound quality and visual works to be presented. • The selected works may be presented and broadcast publicly. • By participating with their work in MUSLAB, the composer grants their consent, rights, and authorization to reproduce, disseminate, and broadcast their work through all media used by the festival, in concerts, activities, radio broadcasts, or activities developed by MUSLAB. exempting MUSLAB from any payment or liability to copyright associations or entities. • All works recorded with a record label must include a letter stating this fact, as well as permission from the record label, for them to be broadcast and published within the International Electroacoustic Music Exhibition, MUSLAB. • If the author decides to participate in the selection process for the production of a co-produced CD-DVD, which will be sent to various sound archives and libraries in different countries and will be available for sale, they must tick the consent box for recording their work on the CD-DVD edition. The composer retains copyright but authorizes MUSLAB to record and distribute their work. • Audio recordings submitted to the competition will not be returned to the composers and will remain in MUSLAB's archives for safekeeping. • The Selection Committee may decide not to include a work in the showcase or to change the program. • The MUSLAB International Electroacoustic Music Showcase is not a competition; it is an opportunity to promote sound art and become part of a network for the dissemination and support of contemporary sound creation. It provides access to performance and distribution spaces for sound art, as well as access to training programs that aim to provide tools to facilitate participants' integration into the job market through the use of new technologies and an artistic contribution to strengthening social cohesion. • All participants will be notified when their work is received and once it has been selected. • The selected works will be published starting June 1, 2026. The publication period will depend on the venues and possibilities for representation.
