16, 17 Steps
Everything has a current. A spark that is borne within an individual or object that connects to the rivers of electricity that run through all levels (highs, mids & lows) of this experience of life & death. Each new birth, death, idea, negation, emotion, etc. causes a new spark that is borne and sent to swim up-the-electric-stream to the latently fertile ground of the collective unconsciousness. Here life & death are closer, compatriots, only 2 points along a knotted wire. Here we can talk, laugh, cry, play, collaborate, teach, learn.
Over the course of the week, 2 new pieces will be developed and presented using basic ideas of omni-present electricity, chaos & confusion magick, ritual performance, and composition that relies on intuition, chance, improvisation and “existing in time” to develop a system of communication.
Friday 1/11 7:00pm-11:00pm
“23 tP 1”
This is the first attempt at composing through an automatic playback system of 23 tape players, guided by a score written intuitively by several hands, using material from several separate authors/performers pre-recorded onto 100s of c10 cassette tapes. The c10s will contain random sections taken from longer recording sessions by each contributing artist and will be selected blindly in performance at the direction of the score.
By gathering material and intention from many sources like this and allowing the playback to be dictated by many hands, we hope for this system to be a conduit that may attract and allow those who are not here with us physically to have a voice and perhaps a hand in making this piece. By using older machines such as tape players that have hidden histories and unique wear/malfunctions, the chance for each machine to hold ghosts and powers of its own is also present and may also lend voice & influence to the final piece.
Saturday 1/12- 6:55 AM – Sunday 1/13 6:55AM
“7 Intuitions 2”
24 performance using a different score that organizes 23 channels into 7, a drone of electronic and acoustic sources will be made live and through the process playback system of the 23 tape players. While still relying on intuition and automatic influence this piece will use a very gradual progression of specific notes decided by chance and played as drones in an attempt to focus and root the previous day’s explorations. It is intended to ground and strengthen the channels explored the previous night – the flame from the spark. Micro-pieces will grow in and out of the drone, furthering our desire and intention to “exist in time”, to always carry this presence with us in all places, to keep the channels open within us. Flesh-bound radio tower transmitting signal in psychic static. Beginning at dawn on Saturday and ending at dawn on Sunday.
This residency is funded by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) and Los Angeles County Arts Commission
