October 14, 2005
Screen Play
Video as Musical Score
Eyebeam and PERFORMA05 will co-present the premiere of Screen Play, a new work by visual artist and composer Christian Marclay, consisting of a video and three live musical ensembles. Marclay created the video to serve as a score to be interpreted live by a series of invited ensembles. The performances will take place on November 11th at 7pm at Eyebeam, 540 W 21st Street. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $10 for Eyebeam members and students, and may be purchased online through the PERFORMA05 web site.
Marclay was the recipient of the 2005 Moving Image Commission, creating the video score Screen Play in Eyebeam’s Production Studios. The projected element of Screen Play is a combination of found film footage overlaid with computer animation. Marclay chose footage suggesting certain visual rhythms and emotions, which he then worked to accentuate or underscore elements with overlapping computer graphics. The resulting video- reminiscent at moments of a silent film and at others of a flight simulator- becomes the visual score for musicians to interpret live. Musicians leading ensembles during this premiere will include multi instrumentalist Elliot Sharp, the electronic trio TOT- (Tim Barnes, Toshio Kayiwara, and Okkyung Lee) and composer and electric harpist Zeena Perkins.
Christian Marclay: Marclay is a New York based visual artist and composer whose innovative work explores the juxtaposition between sound and vision. Since 1979, Marclay has been experimenting with sampling both visual and audio elements, experimenting with composing and performing to create his unique “theatre of found sound.” He has shown extensively nationally and internationally including solo shows at the Tate Modern, the Hirshhorn Museum and the Venice Biennial.
Performing Ensembles: Zeena Parkins , multi-instrumentalist, improviser, composer, sought after in European and North American 'other music' circles. She is not only one of the pioneers of the electric harp but a composer with a unique vision of how to meld acoustic and electric processes.
Composer/multi-instrumentalist/sound-artist Elliott Sharp pioneered the use of fractal geometry, chaos theory, and genetic metaphors in his algorithmic compositions as well as the use of computers in his improvisation and performance. Sharp has collaborated with influential artists and musicians of many genres as well as producing his own sound sculptures. In addition to creating soundtracks for feature films, Sharp has produced numerous CD’s including his most recent, "Radio Hyper-Yahoo" [zOaR], a collection of collaborations with writer/performers.
TOT Trio- Tim Barnes, Toshio Kayiwara, and Okkyung Lee: Tim Barnes’ drum and percussion work transverses a varied musical terrain. From the 90's as a member of the free folk outfit Tower Recordings to conceptual textural electronic music with Dean Roberts. In 2000 Barnes produced a cd of solo percussion music called All Acoustics. Since then he has traveled and performed extensively in Asia and Europe playing with a range of free players and rock musicians.
From central Tokyo, turntablist Toshio Kajiware, studied photography before beginning in the 90’s to perform improvised music. His obsession with obscure music led him to collaborate and perform extensively. Currently he is a producer for his own label and event series entitled "phonomena.”
A native of Korea, Okkyung Lee used her classical training in cello as a springboard from which to incorporate jazz, sounds, Korean traditional music and noise with extended techniques. In addition to participating in TOT Trio, solo performances, and leading her own ensembles, she collaborates with artists, dancers and choreographers. Her latest album is titled Nihm (TZA 7715) and was produced by John Zorn's Tzadik label.
PERFORMA: Established in April 2004 by performance art historian RoseLee Goldberg, PERFORMA is a nonprofit interdisciplinary arts organization committed to the research, development, and presentation of performance by visual artists from around the world. The organization is founded on a commitment to education, history, and active investigation, bringing diverse audiences, artists, curators, and educators together in new and innovative ways. PERFORMA will commission new performance projects in visual arts, establish a dedicated performance biennial, and provide year-round educational programming for expanding knowledge and understanding of this critical area of visual art and cultural history. Each biennial will include the premiere of a major commission, new visual art performance produced by PERFORMA, performance-related film and video programs, and related educational programming.
Screen Play is made possible with support from Eyebeam’s Moving Image Commission and Highbrow Entertainment.
Posted by jo at October 14, 2005 09:45 AM
