SLAVE PIANOS ¡¡EMANCIPATE THE DISSONANCE!! : a, b, a’+c

exposition and recitals of visual artists’ music and sound works
[a series of 3 performances from the slave repertoire]

at:

Lombard-Freid Projects
470 Broome Street
2nd Floor
New York 10013
Phone 212 334 5060
2 - 5 December 1999

SLAVE PIANOS is a project initiated by Australian artists Michael Stevenson and Danius Kesminas. It has grown out of their common interest in the history and practice of visual artists working with sound. The project is a collaborative undertaking with Australian composers Neil Kelly and Rohan Drape and pianist Barney McAll.

SLAVE PIANOS seeks to broaden the knowledge, appreciation and understanding of sound works created by persons who are predominantly known in the field of the visual arts. Stevenson and Kesminas have used the practice of ethnomusicology to collate the SLAVE ARCHIVE, an expanding audio library of sound works by sculptors, painters etc. Original recordings from the SLAVE ARCHIVE have been recomposed, arranged and transcribed for Slave Piano by Kelly, Drape and McAll. The New York exposition consists of a series of installations and performances featuring the Slave Piano - a computer controlled mechanical piano player at a Steinway grand. The piano in recital creates, as it were, a trace back to the original recording and a portrait of the original artists’ performance.

The apotheosis of the grand piano within modern and contemporary art/music practices is at the center of the SLAVE PIANOS philosophy. Recently in Australia the particularly colonial obsession with this instrument has been highlighted through films such as Jane Campion’s ‘The Piano’, the David Helfgott story as portrayed in ‘Shine’ and ‘Passion’ , about Australia’s most innovative 20th century composer, Percy Grainger.

The Slave will be in recital during exposition hours: Thursday Dec 2 thru Sunday Dec 5, 4.00pm - 8.00pm The SLAVE PIANOS installation includes the published musical scores in the form of sheet music and features the full repertoire of piano transcriptions.

In addition to the piano recitals the SLAVE COLLECTIVE presents aba’+c, a series of three evening performances that will take place during the SLAVE PIANOS exposition.

a

Thursday December 2 at 8.00pm (SLAVE CHAMBER: menage a quatre) the FLUX Quartet will present the world premiere of visual artists sound works from the SLAVE ARCHIVE recomposed for string quartet. The performance will feature works by Schwitters, Marclay, Macuinas and Duchamp. FLUX are: Tom Chiu-violin, Cornelius Dufallo-violin, Kenji Bunch-viola and Darrett Adkins-cello. FLUX have an established presence at the Lincoln Center, the Museum of Modern Art as well as cutting edge venues like the Knitting Factory and are world renowned for their performances of the modern repertoire. FLUX has also worked with a wide range of contemporary musicians and artists.

b

Saturday December 4 at 8.00pm (Anti-Jazz: the vibrational liquid of improvisation) a jazz ensemble working under the umbrella ANTI-JAZZ will perform Barney McAll’s arrangements from the SLAVE ARCHIVE including works by Anderson, Ono, Prina and Cole. Barney McAll has performed with Gary Bartz, Bill Harper and Vincent Herring. ANTI-JAZZ includes Ben Monder, guitar and Ben Street, bass.

a’+c

Sunday December 5 at 8.00pm (Caged/Uncaged: unleash the beats) Australian and NY performances including works by Cage, Nauman, McCarthy, Boltansky and Ousler for violin (Tom Chui of Flux), prepared piano, flugelhorn, accordion, harmonica, percussion and tape. From 9.00pm, Sunday, DJ OLIVE will be cutting breaks from the SLAVE ARCHIVE. Renowned as an experimentalist, DJ OLIVE performs internationally as a cutting edge audio janitor.

The SLAVE PIANOS ARCHIVE includes works by: Magdelena Abakanowicz, Vito Acconci, Laurie Anderson, Hany Armanious, John Baldessari, John Barleycorn, Joseph Beuys, John Borofsky, Louise Bourgeois, Glen Branca, George Brecht, L. Budd, Chris Burden, David Byrne, Jon Campbell, Ciurlionis, Tony Clark, Domenico de Clario, Martin Creed, Julian Dashper, Jean Dubuffet, Marcel Duchamp, Terence Fox, Katharina Fritsch, Marco Fusinato, Dan Graham, Jeny Holzer, Joe Jones, Ilya Kabakov, Mike Kelley, Martin Kersels, Martin Kippenberger, Alison Knowles, Barbara Kruger, Sergei Kuryokhin, Louise Lawler, Thomas Lawson, Richard Long, Marinetti, Paul McCarthy, Bruce McLean, Daniel Malone, Christian Marclay, Jonas Mekas, Milkstar, Thurston Moore, Bruce Nauman, Herman Nitsch, Yoko Ono, Dennis Oppenheim, Gabriel Orozco, Tony Ousler, Nam June Paik, Martin Popperwell, Stephen Prina, Dieter Roth, Kurt Merz Schwitters, Ross Sinclair, Solver, Ricky Swallow, Takis, D M Thomas, Jean Tinguely, Peter Tyndall, Ronnie van Hout, Bill Viola, Lawrence Weiner, Emmett Williams and David Wojnarowicz.

The New York exposition/recital of SLAVE PIANOS is part of a world tour, which began at the Museum Fridericianum (Kassel, Germany) and the Auckland Art Gallery (New Zealand) where it featured as part of the exhibition Toi Toi Toi: three generations of artists from New Zealand curated by Rene Block. SLAVE PIANOS has also performed at Stills Gallery (Edinburgh, Scotland), Lovers ( Melbourne, Australia ), Darren Knight Gallery (Sydney, Australia ). SLAVE PIANOS will also be in performance in Los Angeles at China Art Objects Galleries in February 2000.

SLAVE PIANOS tour is supported in Australia by the International Export and Touring Program of Arts Victoria and the Australia Council.

Thursday-Sunday, December 2–5, 4–8pm

Slave Pianos Installation the entire gallery space will be transformed into an “archive” detailing the creative process and exhibiting parts of the Slave Pianos Project.

Thursday December 2 8pm

Opening Evening Slave Collective Concert Performance featuring a live performance by the FLUX QUARTET of visual artists’ music and sound art arranged for strings.

Saturday December 4 8pm

Slave Collective performance of visual artists’ music and sound art in collaboration with a live jazz ensemble.

Sunday December 5 8pm

Slave Collective performance of visual artists’ music and sound art arranged for the violin, piano, flugelhorn, accordion, harmonica, percussion, and tape.

Sunday December 5 9pm

DJ OLIVE will be cutting breaks from a selection of visual artists’ music and sound art.

Tickets for all performances will be sold at the door of the gallery at an admission fee of $5.

No reservation is required.

531 west 26th street new york, new york 10001 phone 212 967 8040 fax 212 967 0669 lomfrd@echonyc.com

Blending the visual and audio, Slave Pianos seeks to broaden the knowledge, appreciation, and understanding of works in sound created by artists more often associated with the visual realm. Australian ethnomusicologists and visual artists Mike Stevenson and Danius Kesminas’ show, Slave Pianos, draws from their Slave Archive, an expansive audio library of sound works created by various visual artists. Using original recordings from the Slave Archive , Stevenson and Kesminas have worked with composers to recompose, arrange, and transcribe the material to bring you Slave Pianos, an exposition comprised of a series of installations and performances featuring the Slave Piano — a computer-controlled mechanical piano player.

The Slave Piano creates a trace back to the artists’ original recording and provides a portrait of the original performance. Slave Pianos is a project that grew out of Stevenson and Kesminas’ common interest in the history and practices of visual artists working with sound.

At the center of the Slave Pianos philosophy is the apotheosis of the grand piano within modern and contemporary art/music practices. With the collaborative efforts of Australian composers Neil Kelly and Rohan Drape, and pianist Barney McAll, Stevenson and Kesminas have created a sound that their country has embraced. Australia’s fascination with Slave Pianos resinates an antipodean desire to lay claim to the grand piano, a view reflected in such films as Jane Campion’s The Piano, the David Helfgott story as portrayed in Shine, and Passion, a film detailing the life of Australia’s most innovative 20th century composer, Percy Grainger.

Slave Pianos repertoire includes works by Vito Acconci, Laurie Anderson, John Baldessari, Joseph Beuys, Louise Bourgeois, George Brecht, L. Budd, Chris Burden, David Byrne, Tony Clark, Dornenico de Clario, Martin Creed, Jean Dubuffet, Marcel Duchamp, Katharina Fritsch, Marco Fusinato, Mike Kelley, Martin Kersels, Martin Kippenberger, Louise Lawler, Thomas Lawson, Paul McCarthy, Bruce McLean, Daniel Malone, Christian Marclay, Bruce Nauman, Yoko Ono, Dennis Oppenheim, Gabriel Orozco, Tony Oursler, Nam June Paik, Martin Popperwell, Stephen Prina, Deiter Roth, Kurt Merz Schwitters, Ross Sinclair, Ricky Swallpw, DM Thomas, Jean Tinguely, Peter Tyndall, Ronnie van Hout, Bill Viola, and David Wojnarowicz.

Mike Stevenson has been exhibiting in Australia for 10 years and in the US since 1997. Through a series of photo-realist drawings and objects he seamlessly introduces conspiracy theory as a framework to help explain the thirty year course of contemporary art production. More recently, this has given way to pure empirical research. Stevenson’s latter-day studies could be described in terms of an artworld ecology where endangered practices are nurtured while introduced forms are analyzed to determine their impact on the local environment. Stevenson was featured in the Drawing Center’s “Selections Fall 98” and had his first New York Solo show entitled “the Gift of Critical Insight” at Lombard-Freid Fine Arts in 1998. This year he has exhibited in Germany at the Museum Fridericianum Kassel, and in the exhibition “What Your Children Should Know About Conceptualism” at the Neuer Aachener Kunstverein and the Brandenburgischer Kunstverein Potsdam.

The New York showing of Slave Pianos is part of a world tour, which began at the Museum Fridericianum (Kassel, Germany) and the Auckland Art Gallery (New Zealand) where it featured Toi Toi Toi: three generations of artists from New Zealand, curated by Rene Block. Slave Pianos also performed at Stills Gallery (Edinburgh, Scotland), Lovers (Melbourne, Australia), and Darren Knight Gallery (Sydney, Australia). Following this New York showing, Slave Pianos will be performing in Los Angeles at China Art Objects Galleries in February, 2000. Lombard-Freid Fine Arts supports young emerging American artists and important, cutting-edge international artists whose works challenge aesthetic and conceptual boundaries. Slave Pianos is supported in Australia by the International Export and Touring Program of Arts Victoria and the Australia Council.

For more information regarding the concert series, the artists, and ticket/gallery information, call Lea Freid at Lombard-Freid Fine Arts (212) 967–8040. For press information, call Liz or Michelle at LDP/M (212) 691–1970.

The Compromised Economy of Desire and Fear

For Immediate Release

SLAVE PIANOS, in association with the CHINA ART OBJECTS, present “The Compromised Economy of Desire and Fear”, a recital and installation of artists’ music and sound works.

Featuring:

1. Post-pop sensation Adawo, fronted by painter Jon Campbell, performing material by Martin Creed’s Owada

2. The experimental noise trio Flubb performing works by LA artists Mike Kelley, Tony Oursler, Jim Shaw & Paul McCarthy (world premiere)

3. DJ KUYA, 1999 Australian ITF DJ champion and three time winner of the DMC DJ championships, cutting breaks from the SLAVE ARCHIVE acetate (Australian premiere)

4. A performance of Composition 11 - audio roulette for three turntables by SLAVE PIANOS New York collaborator DJ Olive the audio janitor by the controversial artists’ collective, DAMP (Australian premiere)

5. Recompositions for trombone choir, violin, percussion and computer generated tape of works by Jean Tinguely, Bruce Nauman, John Baldessari, and Christian Boltanski, arrangements by Rohan Drape, Neil Kelly, Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey (Australian premiere)

6. Stage design by Jon Campbell and Callum Morton

at:

The Public Office Carpark 
2nd Floor 100 Adderley St West Melbourne
Saturday February 26th 2000
Performances start at 8.15pm, Bar Opens 7.30 pm 
Free Admission. 

SLAVE PIANOS is an organisation devoted to the collection, analysis, performance, and recomposition of sound work by visual artists. In the last year SLAVE PIANOS have presented exhibitions and performances in Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Glasgow, Kassel and New York; and have collaborated with DJ Olive, the Flux String Quartet, the Elektra String Quartet, Barney McAll and the Anti-JAZZ Bentet, , Robbie Rhodes (Mechanical Music Association), the Astra Chamber Music Society, Latrobe University & QRS research division.

SLAVE PIANOS are:

Founding Members: Michael Stevenson, Danius Kesminas, Neil Kelly, Rohan Drape.

Associates: Anthony Pateras, Barney McAll, Jon Campbell.

Slave Pianos are performing in St Petersburg’s Sergey Kuyokhin International Festival in April 2000, and will be installed at the Australian National Gallery, Canberra from July.

The SLAVE PIANOS ARCHIVE includes works by: Magdelena Abakanowicz, Vito Acconci, Laurie Anderson, Hany Armanious, John Baldessari, John Barleycorn, Joseph Beuys, John Borofsky, Louise Bourgeois, Glen Branca, George Brecht, L. Budd, Chris Burden, David Byrne, Jon Campbell, Ciurlionis, Tony Clark, Domenico de Clario, Martin Creed, Julian Dashper, Jean Dubuffet, Marcel Duchamp, Terence Fox, Katharina Fritsch, Marco Fusinato, Dan Graham, Jeny Holzer, Joe Jones, Ilya Kabakov, Mike Kelley, Martin Kersels, Martin Kippenberger, Alison Knowles, Barbara Kruger, Sergei Kuryokhin, Louise Lawler, Thomas Lawson, Richard Long, Marinetti, Paul McCarthy, Bruce McLean, Daniel Malone, Christian Marclay, Jonas Mekas, Milkstar, Thurston Moore, Bruce Nauman, Herman Nitsch, Yoko Ono, Dennis Oppenheim, Gabriel Orozco, Tony Ousler, Nam June Paik, Martin Popperwell, Stephen Prina, Dieter Roth, Kurt Merz Schwitters, Ross Sinclair, Solver, Ricky Swallow, Takis, D M Thomas, Jean Tinguely, Peter Tyndall, Ronnie van Hout, Bill Viola, Lawrence Weiner, Emmett Williams and David Wojnarowicz.

This Saturday’s event coincides with the opening of the SLAVE PIANOS exposition at CHINA ART OBJECTS 833 Chung King Rd Los Angeles California 90012, co-ordinated by Michael Stevenson.

SLAVE PIANOS PERFORM AT SERGEY KURYOKHIN INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL, ST PETERSBURG AND MOSCOW

April 14th–20th, 2000

SLAVE PIANOS, in association with the SERGEY KURYOKHIN INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL, present a recital and installation of artists’ music and sound works.

Featuring:

1. THE KRASNYI STRING QUARTET at THE BALTYISKI DOM THEATRE and
2. THE SLAVE PIANO (a computer controlled mechanical piano playing device)

performing arrangements and recompositions of works by leading twentieth century visual artists.

SLAVE PIANOS is an organisation devoted to the collection, analysis, performance, and recomposition of sound work by visual artists. In the last year SLAVE PIANOS have presented exhibitions and performances in Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Glasgow, Kassel, Los Angeles and New York; and have collaborated with DJ Olive, the Flux String Quartet, the Elektra String Quartet, Barney McAll and the Anti-JAZZ Bentet, Adawo, Flubb, Damp, Robbie Rhodes (Mechanical Music Association), the Astra Chamber Music Society, Latrobe University and QRS research division. The show will be installed at the Australian National Gallery, Canberra from July 2000.

SLAVE PIANOS are Australians: Michael Stevenson, Danius Kesminas, Neil Kelly, Rohan Drape. SLAVE PIANOS seeks to broaden the knowledge, appreciation and understanding of sound works created by people who are predominantly known in the field of the visual arts. To this end, they have created an ongoing archive documenting these works in sound. Original recordings from the archive have been recomposed, arranged and transcribed for piano and string quartet, jazz bands, rock bands, computer generated tape, brass and other ensembles.

The SLAVE PIANOS ARCHIVE includes works by: Magdelena Abakanowicz, Vito Acconci, Laurie Anderson, Hany Armanious, John Baldessari, John Barleycorn, Joseph Beuys, John Borofsky, Louise Bourgeois, Glen Branca, George Brecht, L. Budd, Chris Burden, David Byrne, Jon Campbell, Ciurlionis, Tony Clark, Domenico de Clario, Martin Creed, Julian Dashper, Jean Dubuffet, Marcel Duchamp, Terence Fox, Katharina Fritsch, Marco Fusinato, Dan Graham, Jeny Holzer, Joe Jones, Ilya Kabakov, Mike Kelley, Martin Kersels, Martin Kippenberger, Alison Knowles, Barbara Kruger, Sergei Kuryokhin, Louise Lawler, Thomas Lawson, Richard Long, Marinetti, Paul McCarthy, Bruce McLean, Daniel Malone, Christian Marclay, Jonas Mekas, Milkstar, Thurston Moore, Bruce Nauman, Herman Nitsch, Yoko Ono, Dennis Oppenheim, Gabriel Orozco, Tony Ousler, Nam June Paik, Martin Popperwell, Stephen Prina, Dieter Roth, Kurt Merz Schwitters, Ross Sinclair, Solver, Ricky Swallow, Takis, D M Thomas, Jean Tinguely, Peter Tyndall, Ronnie van Hout, Bill Viola, Lawrence Weiner, Emmett Williams and David Wojnarowicz.