In July, we presented a workshop at KISMIF, a biannual conference focused on underground cultures, DIY practices, and urban arts. The workshop took place at the Batalha Centro de Cinema, a magnificent building steeped in history. We sat at tables beneath a restored mural that had once been censored by the Estado Novo regime, which had covered over the fresco.
For the workshop, we built a classic DIY synth: the Atari Punk Console. Originally based on Forrest Mims III’s “Stepped Tone Generator,” it is one of the most recognisable lo-fi synth circuits, and its low part count makes it a satisfying introductory builds. We assembled the circuits on prototype breadboards using 555 timers, then participants explored the sounds of their Atari Punk Consoles.
Building electronics underneath a mural that had once been hidden by censorship brought ideas of reuse, access, and expression into sharp focus, reminding us that DIY culture are shaped by the spaces and histories that hold them.