Artists Space

Abasement #63

Concert
July 17, 2023, 7pm

Performances by Phill Niblock & Katherine Liberovskaya, Marc Edwards & Slipstream Time Travel, Rosaceae, Tamio Shiraishi & Chris Goudreau. DJ Andy Haynes. Video by Wavefield

Magazine cutouts and red and blue squigly lines overlay a yellow background. Text in the upper left corner an upside down text reads "ABASEMENT 63" and lists the performers. Text on the lower lefthand corners list the time and place of the event.
Flyer by Joe Frivaldi. [Magazine cutouts and red and blue squigly lines overlay a yellow background. Text in the upper left corner an upside down text reads "ABASEMENT 63" and lists the performers. Text on the lower lefthand corners list the time and place of the event.]

Abasement is a monthly music series featuring four performances, a guest DJ, and a projectionist. Beginning in 2015 at Max Fish bar in New York's Lower East Side, the evening brings together artists and bands working in free improvisation, jazz, noise, minimalism, and experimental composition. When Max Fish permanently closed due to Covid, one of the few experimental music venues in Manhattan temporarily ceased to exist. Artists Space is pleased to continue hosting Abasement this summer.

Color image of a dark room, illuminated only by a projection of blue and orange amorphous shapes on a wall. The shadow of a table with dj equipment and gear is cast against the colorful projected image.
Abasement #63. Performance documentation, July 17, 2023, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of a dark room, illuminated only by a projection of blue and orange amorphous shapes on a wall. The shadow of a table with dj equipment and gear is cast against the colorful projected image.]
Close-up color image of a musician holding a saxaphone to his body. One hand holds the instrument while the other hand is held up to his face in a contemplative gesture. Hues from diffused rainbow and bright purple lights are cast against the performer and in the interior space.
Abasement #63. Performance documentation, July 17, 2023, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Close-up color image of a musician holding a saxaphone to his body. One hand holds the instrument while the other hand is held up to his face in a contemplative gesture. Hues from diffused rainbow and bright purple lights are cast against the performer and in the interior space.]
Color image of an individual captured midst performing at a table set up with DJ equipment. Another performer is seen behind him, playing the saxaphone in a dark performance space illuminated only by bright blue, pink and neon yellow projections. A large shadow of a person taking a photo with a camera can be seen cast on the projection wall to the left of the image.
Abasement #63. Performance documentation, July 17, 2023, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of an individual captured midst performing at a table set up with DJ equipment. Another performer is seen behind him, playing the saxaphone in a dark performance space illuminated only by bright blue, pink and neon yellow projections. A large shadow of a person taking a photo with a camera can be seen cast on the projection wall to the left of the image.]
A grainy color image of two performers facing each other on a stage, with a large audience observing in a dark room. One individual on stage is sitting and faces the camera, watching her performance partner. The other individual has their back turned to the camera, as they crouch over musical equipment on the stage floor. A pinkish-red hue from some spotlights illuminates the on-stage performers.
Abasement #63. Performance documentation, July 17, 2023, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [A grainy color image of two performers facing each other on a stage, with a large audience observing in a dark room. One individual on stage is sitting and faces the camera, watching her performance partner. The other individual has their back turned to the camera, as they crouch over musical equipment on the stage floor. A pinkish-red hue from some spotlights illuminates the on-stage performers.]
Color image of two performers sitting on a stage, with a variety of musical gear between them. The backs of heads from audience members observing the performers can be seen at the bottom of the image. A pinkish-red spotlight illuminates the dark performance space and the individuals on the stage.
Abasement #63. Performance documentation, July 17, 2023, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of two performers sitting on a stage, with a variety of musical gear between them. The backs of heads from audience members observing the performers can be seen at the bottom of the image. A pinkish-red spotlight illuminates the dark performance space and the individuals on the stage.]
Color image of three individuals standing together outside in front of a wall covered in graffiti. Two women with red hair and vibrant outfits flank and engage with an individual in the middle.
Abasement #63. Performance documentation, July 17, 2023, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of three individuals standing together outside in front of a wall covered in graffiti. Two women with red hair and vibrant outfits flank and engage with an individual in the middle.]
Color image of a band of performers playing music on a stage together, colorful and patterned projections illuminate the group and the wall behind them. In order: group includes a keyboardist, a bass player, a drummer, a trumpet player and two saxaphone players.
Abasement #63. Performance documentation, July 17, 2023, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of a band of performers playing music on a stage together, colorful and patterned projections illuminate the group and the wall behind them. In order: group includes a keyboardist, a bass player, a drummer, a trumpet player and two saxaphone players.]
A close-up color image of a drummer captured in the middle of a performance. Abstracted projections of bright yellow and purple hues are cast against the musician, who looks out at something out of view.
Abasement #63. Performance documentation, July 17, 2023, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [A close-up color image of a drummer captured in the middle of a performance. Abstracted projections of bright yellow and purple hues are cast against the musician, who looks out at something out of view.]
Color image of an individual seated at a table with a variety of musical and electronic equipment and gear in front of him. The individual stares with focus at a computer screen, which illuminates his face in the darkened performance space. A variety of guests can been seen seated all around the musician
Abasement #63. Performance documentation, July 17, 2023, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of an individual seated at a table with a variety of musical and electronic equipment and gear in front of him. The individual stares with focus at a computer screen, which illuminates his face in the darkened performance space. A variety of guests can been seen seated all around the musician's work table.]
Color image of a darkened venue space full of seated visitors, whose backs are turned to look at a screening. The wall before them displays a bright projection, the glow of the image illuminates the seated participants.
Abasement #63. Performance documentation, July 17, 2023, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of a darkened venue space full of seated visitors, whose backs are turned to look at a screening. The wall before them displays a bright projection, the glow of the image illuminates the seated participants.]
Color image of an individual seated and intently looking into a computer screen. The bright glow from the computer illuminates the performer
Abasement #63. Performance documentation, July 17, 2023, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of an individual seated and intently looking into a computer screen. The bright glow from the computer illuminates the performer's face and the electronic gear on the worktable before him.]
Color image of a performer captured in the middle of a bassoon performance. The musician stands in the middle of a crowd of seated guests who are observing her in a dimly lit performance venue.
Abasement #63. Performance documentation, July 17, 2023, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of a performer captured in the middle of a bassoon performance. The musician stands in the middle of a crowd of seated guests who are observing her in a dimly lit performance venue.]

Phill Niblock is an intermedia artist using music, film, photography, video and computers. He was born in Indiana in 1933. Since the mid-60's he has been making music and intermedia performances which have been shown at numerous venues around the world. Since 1985, he has been the director of the Experimental Intermedia Foundation in New York, where he has been an artist/member since 1968. He is the producer of Music and Intermedia presentations at EI since 1973 and the curator of EI's XI Records label. Phill Niblock's music is available on the XI, Moikai, Mode, Matiere Memoire, Room 40, and Touch labels. DVDs of films and music are available on the Extreme label and Von Archive. He is a retired professor of film, video and photography at The College of Staten Island, the City University of New York. In 2014, he was the recipient of the prestigious John Cage Award from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts.

Katherine Liberovskaya is a Canadian intermedia artist based in New York City. Involved in experimental video since the late 80s, she has produced numerous single-channel video art pieces, video installations and video performances, as well as works in other media, that have been shown around the world. Since 2001 her work predominantly focuses on the intersection of moving image with sound/music in various both ephemeral and fixed forms (projections, installations, performances), notably through collaborations with composers and sound artists in improvised live video+sound concert situations where her live visuals seek to create improvisatory "music" for the eyes. In addition to her art work she curates events in experimental video/film, sound/music and A/V performance (primarily Screen Compositions since 2005 and OptoSonic Tea since 2006). In 2014 she completed a PhD in art practice entitled "Improvisatory Live Visuals: Playing Images Like a Musical Instrument" at the Universite du Quebec in Montreal (UQAM).

Marc Edwards is a NYC drummer best remembered for his work on the Cecil Taylor album ‘Dark To Themselves’. He has also worked with Charles Gayle, Paul Flaherty, Mick Barr, Marc Edwards – Weasel Walter Group, Weasel Walter’s Cellular Chaos, among others. Marc can be heard these days with his band Slipstream Time Travel. Since 1996 the band’s personnel has changed, currently in the band are: Marc Edwards - Drums & Percussion, Tor Snyder - Electric Guitar, Ayumi Ishito - Tenor Sax, Marcus Cumins - Soprano Sax, Ryan Siegel - Alto Sax, Robert Mac Vega-Dowda - Trumpet. Slipstream Time Travel employs sonic explorations via musical sounds. The journey is both inward (the practice of meditation) and outward, traveling through the far reaches of outer space!

Rosaceae is a music project of Leyla Yenirce, exploring figurations of resistance and sonic aspects of military, media and cultural structures of dominance. Rosaceae works with elements of noise and ambient music, drawing on speech samples as well as self-penned texts. She has released several records on the label of the Golden Pudel Club including Efia and DNA. Rosaceae's works include audiovisual and performative elements. They have been presented at festivals such as Berliner Festspiele, Noisexistance at Kampnagel in Hamburg or Elbphilharmonie.

Alto saxophonist Tamio Shiraishi, has worked out of NYC since the early 1990’s. His unique approach to the alto saxophone is built off of interactions with physical spaces, often NYC’s cavernous subway stations. In the 1970s, Shiraishi was an integral member of Japanese avant-garde group Fushitsusha, which he founded alongside Keiji Haino.

Connecticut-based Chris Goudreau is an artist exploring extremities of texture, flow, and the tactility of sound. Better known for his cut-up electronics project SICKNESS, Goudreau utilizes modular synthesizers, found sounds, and tape manipulation to maximize dynamic contrast and play. Since 1993, he has run the label Ninth Circle Music.

DJ Andy Haynes is based in NYC: classics, erotica, schlock rock & just vinyl wonderfuls.

Wavefield is a DIY collective arts space in Brooklyn focused on intermedia and video art.