Artists Space

Abasement #68

Concert
February 12, 2024, 7pm

Monday, February 12
7pm
Free, no RSVP required

Performances by Victoria Keddie + Live Video with Scott Kiernan, The Same Names, Extatic Spasmatix, and Zoh Amba. DJ Tom Lax. Visuals by The Vampÿrates.

Magazine cut-outs and ink drawings are collaged together on a beige background, with red accents throughout. Pieces of yellow paper featuring typewritten text listing the performers and event details are cut out and scattered throughout the flier.
Flyer by Joe Frivaldi. [Magazine cut-outs and ink drawings are collaged together on a beige background, with red accents throughout. Pieces of yellow paper featuring typewritten text listing the performers and event details are cut out and scattered throughout the flier.]

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.

Color image of a seated musician playing an oboe into a microphone. The musician is dressed in all black and has medium length black hair. The image catches the musician with their eyes downturned, just a moment before blowing air into the oboe. The musician and the back wall are flooded with a circle of yellow light, in the top corners, the yellow turns into blue.
Abasement #68. Performance documentation, February 12, 2024, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of a seated musician playing an oboe into a microphone. The musician is dressed in all black and has medium length black hair. The image catches the musician with their eyes downturned, just a moment before blowing air into the oboe. The musician and the back wall are flooded with a circle of yellow light, in the top corners, the yellow turns into blue.]
Color image of audience members watching a performance out of the left side of the frame. On the left side of the image, there are two rows of seated audience members in shadow. In the center of the image, audience members stand against a wall. The upper half of the standing audience members is cast in orange and red light emitted from a projector. Behind the standing audience, an image of a figure rendered in red, yellow and blue is projected on the wall. On the right edge of the image, there is a table with clear glasses and bottles of wine. 
Abasement #68. Performance documentation, February 12, 2024, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of audience members watching a performance out of the left side of the frame. On the left side of the image, there are two rows of seated audience members in shadow. In the center of the image, audience members stand against a wall. The upper half of the standing audience members is cast in orange and red light emitted from a projector. Behind the standing audience, an image of a figure rendered in red, yellow and blue is projected on the wall. On the right edge of the image, there is a table with clear glasses and bottles of wine. ]
Color image of a seated musician playing a tenor saxophone on a stage. In the foreground of the image, there is the blurred back of the heads of seated audience members. In the center midground of the image, the musician is basked in green and yellow light being emitted from a projector. The projection covers the back wall behind the musician and the stage. 
Abasement #68. Performance documentation, February 12, 2024, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of a seated musician playing a tenor saxophone on a stage. In the foreground of the image, there is the blurred back of the heads of seated audience members. In the center midground of the image, the musician is basked in green and yellow light being emitted from a projector. The projection covers the back wall behind the musician and the stage. ]
Color image a performer in a bald cap with both of their hands raised with elbows at shoulder height. The performer occupies the center of the image wearing a blue dress covered in a square and circle pattern. From the left, bottom corner, a microphone on a stand rises to meet the performer in the center. In the lower, right hand corner, another bald performer, dressed in a red top bends down towards the performer in the center of the image. The wall behind both the performers is filled with a projected image in hues of yellow, brown and white.
Abasement #68. Performance documentation, February 12, 2024, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image a performer in a bald cap with both of their hands raised with elbows at shoulder height. The performer occupies the center of the image wearing a blue dress covered in a square and circle pattern. From the left, bottom corner, a microphone on a stand rises to meet the performer in the center. In the lower, right hand corner, another bald performer, dressed in a red top bends down towards the performer in the center of the image. The wall behind both the performers is filled with a projected image in hues of yellow, brown and white.]
Close-up color image of two performers. Occupying most of the image is a performer in a red robe with only one button buttoned so the middle of their chest is exposed. A necklace with chunky white beads and a silver pendant with a black tassel hangs around their neck and down their bare chest. The performer
Abasement #68. Performance documentation, February 12, 2024, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Close-up color image of two performers. Occupying most of the image is a performer in a red robe with only one button buttoned so the middle of their chest is exposed. A necklace with chunky white beads and a silver pendant with a black tassel hangs around their neck and down their bare chest. The performer's right hand is raised up, their head turned down, looking over their left shoulder to the second performer who stands behind them. The performer dressed in red with a bald head holds a microphone in their left hand. On the red-dressed performer's left shoulder, another performer, wearing a bald cap looks up at them. Their right hand is raised, touching the red performer's forearm. Their faces and the wall behind them is illuminated by the bright white light of the projected image. --]
Color image of three performers on stage. In the foreground, in the lower right corner a musician wearing headphones plays drums. To the left hand side in the midground, two bald performers look at one another. One of the performers wears a red robe and holds a microphone. The other performer wears a blue tunic and faces the performer in the red robe. Stage lights shine down on all three performers. 
Abasement #68. Performance documentation, February 12, 2024, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of three performers on stage. In the foreground, in the lower right corner a musician wearing headphones plays drums. To the left hand side in the midground, two bald performers look at one another. One of the performers wears a red robe and holds a microphone. The other performer wears a blue tunic and faces the performer in the red robe. Stage lights shine down on all three performers. ]
Close-up color photograph of a musician holding a guitar. The musician wears a white-button up with a black tie and black leather pants. Medium-length red-and-black streaked hair falls around their face as they look down at the guitar. The musician and the wall behind them is illuminated by a projected image that is mostly white, but features large black letters at the top of the projection. 
Abasement #68. Performance documentation, February 12, 2024, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Close-up color photograph of a musician holding a guitar. The musician wears a white-button up with a black tie and black leather pants. Medium-length red-and-black streaked hair falls around their face as they look down at the guitar. The musician and the wall behind them is illuminated by a projected image that is mostly white, but features large black letters at the top of the projection. ]
Color photograph of a five person band on stage. To the left, a musician playing a guitar wears a black and white vertically striped shirt and a black conductor hat. They sing into a microphone. To the left of the musician playing guitar, another musician holds a guitar while wearing a white button up and black leather pants. Behind the guitarist, a musician in a black tee shirt plays a set of drums. On the right side of the image, a musician plays a bass in a black tee shirt and jeans. To the left of the bassists, a vocalist in a cargo jacket and black beanie prepares to vocalize into the microphone. The stage and the wall behind the stage are illuminated by a colorful projection. Some of the band
Abasement #68. Performance documentation, February 12, 2024, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color photograph of a five person band on stage. To the left, a musician playing a guitar wears a black and white vertically striped shirt and a black conductor hat. They sing into a microphone. To the left of the musician playing guitar, another musician holds a guitar while wearing a white button up and black leather pants. Behind the guitarist, a musician in a black tee shirt plays a set of drums. On the right side of the image, a musician plays a bass in a black tee shirt and jeans. To the left of the bassists, a vocalist in a cargo jacket and black beanie prepares to vocalize into the microphone. The stage and the wall behind the stage are illuminated by a colorful projection. Some of the band's shadows appear in the projection. ]
Close-up color photograph of a vocalist and a musician playing a bass at the edge of the stage. The vocalist has long curly black hair and wears an army-green cargo jacket. They are kneeling down as they hold the microphone up to the mouth. To the right of the vocalist, the bassist looks out to the crowd as picks the strings. The drums and the drummer are visible behind them. The wall behind the stage is illuminated by a bright white light emitted from a projector. 
Abasement #68. Performance documentation, February 12, 2024, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Close-up color photograph of a vocalist and a musician playing a bass at the edge of the stage. The vocalist has long curly black hair and wears an army-green cargo jacket. They are kneeling down as they hold the microphone up to the mouth. To the right of the vocalist, the bassist looks out to the crowd as picks the strings. The drums and the drummer are visible behind them. The wall behind the stage is illuminated by a bright white light emitted from a projector. ]
Color image of a musician standing behind a long table on a stage. The musician plays a large soundboard placed on the table. The musician wears a black long sleeve top and looks down at the soundboard as they play. They have short blond hair with bangs. A colorful image, almost like a close-up shot of a cell rendered in pink, red, blue and black is projected onto the stage and the wall behind the stage. A shadow of the musician appears on the back wall. 
Abasement #68. Performance documentation, February 12, 2024, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of a musician standing behind a long table on a stage. The musician plays a large soundboard placed on the table. The musician wears a black long sleeve top and looks down at the soundboard as they play. They have short blond hair with bangs. A colorful image, almost like a close-up shot of a cell rendered in pink, red, blue and black is projected onto the stage and the wall behind the stage. A shadow of the musician appears on the back wall. ]
Abasement #68. Performance documentation, February 12, 2024, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman.

Victoria Keddie is an artist who explores media environments and how new technologies shape and redefine our perception of reality. Keddie's work emphasizes the untold stories hidden within seemingly ordinary artifacts and spaces, illustrating their significant role in preserving human existence and shaping our collective narrative. Keddie is the Co- Director of E.S.P. TV, celebrated for pioneering live television broadcasts featuring experimental performance. Her work has been exhibited and performed internationally. Recent fellowships include the NYSCA/NYFA for Music/Sound (2022), the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics (2023), and the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art Sound Fellowship (2024). Video works are distributed through Lightcone, (Paris/FR) and The Filmmakers Co-op (NYC/US). Sound work released with Chaikin Records, (NYC/USA), In Context Music (Toronto/CA), Fridman Gallery (NYC/USA), and Acoustic Atlas (Venice, IT). Forthcoming release with Raster Media (DE) in Spring 2024.

Scott Kiernan is a multi-disciplinary artist living and working in New York City. Through his video, photo and installation works, electronic synthesis, and photographic elements interact to address their own materiality and means of distribution. He is co-director of live televisual performance project E.S.P. TV and director of Various/Artists Records.

The Same Names are making their debut this evening. This completely new project is a collaboration between Michael Schumacher, a composer and improviser based in Brooklyn; actor/performer/writer Michael Wiener, vocalist and lyricist for The Children..., a collaboration with members of Swans, Cop Shoot Cop and Barkmarket whose album will be released on Erototox Decodings in March; Cori Kresge, choreographer/poet/vocalist, who has danced with the Merce Cunningham, Stephen Petronio, Jose Navas and Sally Silvers companies, among many others; and drummer/composer Yuko Togami. The music is generated from Schumacher's compositions, to which Wiener brings vocals and lyrics. Kresge will contribute additional layers, both visually by way of her choreography, and in her vocalizing, both harmonic and contrapuntal. Togami will anchor the beat. Wiener sees his previous appearance at Abasement with The Children... prior to the pandemic as that group's peak performance thus far--which planted the seed to introduce The Same Names tonight.

Extatic Spasmatix is Eugene Hutz & Ashley Tobias of Gogol Bordello + Brian Chase of YYY’s + Kay BonTempo of Puzzled Panther + Alap Momin (Oktopus) of Dälek. Extatic Spasmatix is a one night wonderband. Extatic Spasmatix will perform "Gypsy Christ Superstar" in its entirety.

Zoh Amba is a composer, saxophonist, and flutist from Tennessee. Her music blends avant-garde, noise, and devotional hymns. Before studying music at the San Francisco Conservatory Of Music, New England Conservatory and studying with David Murray in New York, she spent most of her time writing and practicing saxophone in the forest near her home. Today, her powerfully unique avant-garde music is full of folk melodies, mesmerizing refrains, and repeated incantations. Amba released two records in 2022, her debut record O, Sun which was produced by John Zorn and released on the prestigious label Tzadik. Zoh Amba’s second record, Bhakti features Micah Thomas, Tyshawn Sorey, and Matt Hollenberg. She has collaborated with a variety of high profile musicians such as Tyshawn Sorey, Jim White (Dirty Three), Steve Gunn, Vijay Iyer, legendary bassist William Parker, Brian Chase (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), etc. Amba has also performed at well respected venues and festivals Roulette (NY), Ars Nova Workshop (Philadelphia), Vision Festival (NY), ReWire (NL), BRDCST Festival (BE), Angel City Jazz Festival (LA) along with 2023 Big Ears Festivals.

Tom Lax has been the curatorial cyclops behind the Siltbreeze imprint for 30+ years. A fair number of the label’s releases are very good. The rest are better.

The Vampÿrates are the swashbuckling visual DJ duo of Bradley Eros and Richard Sylvarnes. Under cover of perpetual dusk, the Vampÿrates, are as much actors as twisted plotters, equal-opportunity impersonators, as much art as artifice, criminals of piratical lore, as they masquerade as shred guitarists, savvy roommates, lyric poets, trouvé filmmakers, or plunderphonic soundbenders, when all they really want is jewels, bloody stolen booty, swished & swindled precious gems, pirated treasures of image and sound, from undead cultures that refuse to die, the so-called 'subversive blood languages' brought back to life through their trickery & deceit, mischief & sleight-of-hand, re-animation & thievery, and particularly, their re-contextualized excavation of exquisite samples, displaying their biting wit & unquenchable thirst for perversity & scandal. They cannot be killed, only ghosted, yet know, as always, that these nocturnal phantoms will return in other forms, deformed. New York Necro City.

Abasement has been curated by Joseph Frivaldi and Robert Mayson since 2015.