Artists Space

Abasement #76

Concert
March 3, 2025, 7pm

Performances by MV Carbon, Brian Close + Kiki Kudo + Grave Guzman + Woodson Legend, William Hooker "Jubilation" with Adam Lane, On Ka Davis, Stevie Manning and Matt Lavelle, and Ka Baird/Qasim Naqvi/Joanna Mattrey. DJ Macrae Semans. Visuals by Carolyn Funk.

Magazine cut-outs and ink drawings are collaged together on a background of pink, green, and yellowed paper. Pieces of yellow paper with typewritten text listing the performers and event details are scattered around the flyer.
Flyer by Joe Frivaldi. [Magazine cut-outs and ink drawings are collaged together on a background of pink, green, and yellowed paper. Pieces of yellow paper with typewritten text listing the performers and event details are scattered around the flyer.]

Abasement is a music series featuring 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 3 performers on stage. The musician on the left is standing over electronic audio equipment while looking down. To their side a musician is sitting down holding a microphone close to their mouth. On the right side of the image a musician is sitting down playing the violin. In the middle of the stage there is a drum kit. The backs of audience members are visible in the bottom of the image. There is an abstract orange projection on the back wall, which also covers one of the musicians.
Abasement #76. Performance documentation, March 3rd, 2025, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of 3 performers on stage. The musician on the left is standing over electronic audio equipment while looking down. To their side a musician is sitting down holding a microphone close to their mouth. On the right side of the image a musician is sitting down playing the violin. In the middle of the stage there is a drum kit. The backs of audience members are visible in the bottom of the image. There is an abstract orange projection on the back wall, which also covers one of the musicians.]
Color image of two performers, shot from behind the stage looking out to the audience. The musician on the left is bent down with their arms out and their back is facing the camera. The musician on their right is signing into a microphone. Multiple rows of audience members are facing the stage. A bright light from the back of the room creates a glare in the image. The room is dark and it is tinted yellow and pink.
Abasement #76. Performance documentation, March 3rd, 2025, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of two performers, shot from behind the stage looking out to the audience. The musician on the left is bent down with their arms out and their back is facing the camera. The musician on their right is signing into a microphone. Multiple rows of audience members are facing the stage. A bright light from the back of the room creates a glare in the image. The room is dark and it is tinted yellow and pink.]
Close up color image of two performers on stage. In the center of the image a musician is sitting down playing the bass flute into a microphone. Out of focus in the background, another musician is playing the violin. The scene is tinted by yellow light.
Abasement #76. Performance documentation, March 3rd, 2025, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Close up color image of two performers on stage. In the center of the image a musician is sitting down playing the bass flute into a microphone. Out of focus in the background, another musician is playing the violin. The scene is tinted by yellow light.]
Color image of two performers on stage. The musician on the left is in profile, standing up, while playing the guitar. On the right side of the frame a musician is sitting down, out of focus, playing the drums.
Abasement #76. Performance documentation, March 3rd, 2025, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of two performers on stage. The musician on the left is in profile, standing up, while playing the guitar. On the right side of the frame a musician is sitting down, out of focus, playing the drums.]
Color image of five performers on stage. From left to right, they are playing guitar, saxophone, drums, and trumpet. The room is lit up with pink and white projections. The backs of multiple audience members are visible in the bottom of the frame. A few of the performers are lit with yellow light, as well as some of the audience.
Abasement #76. Performance documentation, March 3rd, 2025, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of five performers on stage. From left to right, they are playing guitar, saxophone, drums, and trumpet. The room is lit up with pink and white projections. The backs of multiple audience members are visible in the bottom of the frame. A few of the performers are lit with yellow light, as well as some of the audience.]
Color image of multiple performers on stage. The performer in the foreground is out of focus. In the middle one of them plays the drums, they are looking up with their mouth open. In the background, a performer faces the camera. The wall behind them is decorated with a projection of multicolored squares. A few audience members are visible in the bottom edge.
Abasement #76. Performance documentation, March 3rd, 2025, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of multiple performers on stage. The performer in the foreground is out of focus. In the middle one of them plays the drums, they are looking up with their mouth open. In the background, a performer faces the camera. The wall behind them is decorated with a projection of multicolored squares. A few audience members are visible in the bottom edge.]
Color image of a performer inside a handmade costume, decorated with pink paper tissue branded “Miu Miu”. The hand of the performer reaches out over the audience, holding a tube with tassels made of paper. The tops of heads of audience members are visible in the edges of the image. Multiple phones are facing the performer while recording. The background is decorated with multicolor abstract projections.
Abasement #76. Performance documentation, March 3rd, 2025, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of a performer inside a handmade costume, decorated with pink paper tissue branded “Miu Miu”. The hand of the performer reaches out over the audience, holding a tube with tassels made of paper. The tops of heads of audience members are visible in the edges of the image. Multiple phones are facing the performer while recording. The background is decorated with multicolor abstract projections.]
Color image of three performers on stage. In the foreground a performer is sitting down, blowing into a device, in front of various types of audio technology. Their face is tinted with pink light. Behind them two performers are out of focus, one of them is wearing a costume, the other is facing the camera. In the background there are audience members and projections on the walls.
Abasement #76. Performance documentation, March 3rd, 2025, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of three performers on stage. In the foreground a performer is sitting down, blowing into a device, in front of various types of audio technology. Their face is tinted with pink light. Behind them two performers are out of focus, one of them is wearing a costume, the other is facing the camera. In the background there are audience members and projections on the walls.]
Color image of three performers on stage. In the middle a performer is standing up with their hands on their shoulders. To the right, a performer is hidden behind a large collection of tissue paper. In the back left side, a performer is sitting down in front of audio equipment. A few audience members heads are visible in the foreground. The wall behind the stage is projected on with blurry images of a crowd.
Abasement #76. Performance documentation, March 3rd, 2025, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of three performers on stage. In the middle a performer is standing up with their hands on their shoulders. To the right, a performer is hidden behind a large collection of tissue paper. In the back left side, a performer is sitting down in front of audio equipment. A few audience members heads are visible in the foreground. The wall behind the stage is projected on with blurry images of a crowd.]
Close-up color image of a performer holding red lights with a shirt wrapped around their head. Behind them, in the left side of the frame, a handmade paper costume is out of focus. On the right side of the frame there are two performers, one of them is standing with their back to the camera, and the other is sitting down at a table.
Abasement #76. Performance documentation, March 3rd, 2025, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Close-up color image of a performer holding red lights with a shirt wrapped around their head. Behind them, in the left side of the frame, a handmade paper costume is out of focus. On the right side of the frame there are two performers, one of them is standing with their back to the camera, and the other is sitting down at a table.]
Color image of a performer on stage playing the cello. They are facing sideways to the audience, wearing sunglasses and a purple jacket. To their side there is a collection of audio equipment, as well as a music stand and a speaker. The audience is sitting down facing the stage. The room is dark, except for a projected image of a disco ball on the back wall.
Abasement #76. Performance documentation, March 3rd, 2025, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of a performer on stage playing the cello. They are facing sideways to the audience, wearing sunglasses and a purple jacket. To their side there is a collection of audio equipment, as well as a music stand and a speaker. The audience is sitting down facing the stage. The room is dark, except for a projected image of a disco ball on the back wall.]
Color image of a performer on stage, standing in front of various types of electronic audio equipment. They are wearing a monochromatic purple outfit and glasses. The wall behind them is decorated with blue, orange, and purple projections. The left side of the room is lit with small blue dots reflecting from a disco ball. A few audience members are visible in the bottom edge of the image.
Abasement #76. Performance documentation, March 3rd, 2025, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of a performer on stage, standing in front of various types of electronic audio equipment. They are wearing a monochromatic purple outfit and glasses. The wall behind them is decorated with blue, orange, and purple projections. The left side of the room is lit with small blue dots reflecting from a disco ball. A few audience members are visible in the bottom edge of the image.]
Color image of a performer on stage holding an oversized goblet. They are wearing a monochromatic purple outfit, and standing sideways to the audience. A table in front of the performer is filled with various types of electronic audio equipment. The wall behind the stage is covered in a houndstooth projected pattern.
Abasement #76. Performance documentation, March 3rd, 2025, Artists Space. Photo: Joshua Wildman. [Color image of a performer on stage holding an oversized goblet. They are wearing a monochromatic purple outfit, and standing sideways to the audience. A table in front of the performer is filled with various types of electronic audio equipment. The wall behind the stage is covered in a houndstooth projected pattern.]

MV Carbon (Brooklyn, NY) is a multimedia artist, musician, composer, and performer, known for her distinctive sound work that blends experimental, noise, and ambient music. Prioritizing sound exploration over traditional musical structures, she combines minimalistic approaches with densely layered soundscapes, incorporating feedback, dissonance, glitchy textures, and unpredictable rhythms to evoke sensations ranging from tension to calm, or even disorientation. Carbon investigates the relationships between sound, space, and place, blending cello, voice, and electronics with the unique acoustics of the immediate environment. Vintage microphones and analog reel-to-reel tape machines are signature elements in her music. Carbon has solo and collaborative music released on record labels including Kill Rock Stars/ 5RC, Atavistic Records, Discombobulate, Ecstatic Peace, Chaikin Records, Hanson, Load Records, No Fun Productions, Shinkoyo, Various Artists, and Veglia. Carbon has done residencies at Bemis Center (NE), Clocktower Gallery (NY), EMS Elektronmusikstudion (SE), Issue Project Room (NY), Koncertkirken (DK), Pioneer Works (NY), Q02 (BE), and Roulette (NY).

Brian Close + Kiki Kudo + Grave Guzman + Woodson Legend is an improvisational quartet spanning poetry sculpture , sound collage and performance.

Fresh from the release of his new recording "Jubilation", William Hooker brings the quintet that is featured on his new record to Artist Space! William Hooker is a musician, composer, and poet with over 70 recordings as a leader, encompassing jazz, new music, experimental music and multi-disciplinary forms of expression (e.g. dance, silent film and spoken word). He has been recognized as “an iconoclast, and one of the most innovative musicians and drummers of his generation” [The Wire], which is evident nowhere more than on his latest album, Jubilation. The new work features collaborators Matt LaVelle on trumpet, Stevie Manning on alto saxophone, On Davis on guitar, and Adam Lane on Bass. The release marks Hooker’s fourth outing for Org Music, following Flesh and Bones (2023), Big Moon (2021), and Symphonie of Flowers (2019). Hooker says of Jubilation, “our express purpose was to play great music and to communicate such.” The group, captured live in 2023 at acclaimed Brooklyn performance arts venue Roulette, does just that. The dynamic set showcases each of the players’ unique craft with extended solo performances, introducing new elements and building towards a more collaborative effort as the piece progresses. The result, captured faithfully on this recording, is pure Jubilation (noun; a feeling of great happiness and triumph).

Ka Baird is a performer, sound artist, musician and composer based in New York City. They are known for their live performances which include extended voice and microphone techniques combined with electronics and psychoacoustic interplay of flutes and other woodwinds. They create a present tense sound with a vigorous, ritualistic delivery that seeks extreme release through physical exertion and psychic extension. They have presented their work at Unsound Festival (Krakow, PL), Lampo (Chicago, IL), MoMA PS1 (Queens, NY), Issue Project Room (Brooklyn, NY), The Kitchen (NYC), Le Guess Who (Utrecht, NL), Intonal Festival (Malmo, SE) and the LA Philharmonic.

Qasim Naqvi is a percussionist, composer, and synthesist. In addition to being the drummer of the lauded cult minimalist trio Dawn of Midi, Qasim is an accomplished solo artist. His passion for multidisciplinary work has brought him into the worlds of film, dance, installation art, and orchestral and chamber music. He has written music for The London Contemporary Orchestra, The BBC Concert Orchestra, Crash Ensemble, Bang on a Can All-Stars, Jennifer Koh, Stargaze, The Cello Octet of Amsterdam, The Helsinki Chamber Choir, and others. Recent releases include an improvised music project titled Two Centuries—a trio featuring creative music legends Andrew Cyrille on drums and Wadada Leo Smith on trumpet, with Naqvi at the helm on modular synthesizer and composition. Their debut album was the recipient of the 2023 Deutscher Jazzpreis for Best International Instrumental Album. Qasim has also been working on a new solo album, which will be released this spring on Erased Tapes Records.

Joanna Mattrey is a violist and composer working in free improvisation, new music, and classical music. She uses extended techniques, modern compositional approaches, and electronic alterations to challenge the conventions of the viola. Joanna creates an embodied performance practice centered on ceremony and ritual. Recent solo works include, 'Soulcaster' (Notice Recordings), ‘Dirge’ (Dear Life Recs 2021), or 'Veiled’ (Relative Pitch Records, 2020). Mattrey has had residencies with Roulette, Watermill, ISSUE Project Room, Banff, 14th Street Y, Wild Project, and MoMa PS1's ALLGOLD. Mattrey has performed with icons Tyshawn Sorey, Henry Threadgill, Miya Masaoka, Marc Ribot, gabby fluke-mogul, John Zorn, Billy Martin, Elliott Sharp, the International Contemporary Ensemble, Crash Ensemble, and Irish National Opera.

Macrae Semans is a NY-based artist and the owner/ operator of Starr Suites, an apartment art gallery space in Brooklyn.

Carolyn Funk is an NYC based artist and writer. She is the cofounder of Duelle Films.

Bradley Eros, as always, (since the very beginning of Abasement (.001), 76+ months, or sessions, ago) will project their "hand-made" slides ~ all night long! *** "eau de cinema", 'musique plastique', "philosophical jaywalker", "Eros C'est L'amour!"

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