Christian Marclay's 'Festival' at Whitney Museum Blends Visual Art and Live Performance
From July 1 to September 26, 2010, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York presented the 'Christian Marclay Festival,' which highlighted Marclay's graphic scores designed for live sound interpretation. Renowned for his exploration of sound imagery, Marclay underscores the social dimensions of music. The exhibition featured performances by nearly fifty musicians, occurring two to three times daily. Notable pieces included 'Chalkboard' (2010), 'Graffiti Composition' (1996), and various scores incorporating photography ('Shuffle', 2007; 'Zoom Zoom', 2007-2009), video ('The Bell and The Glass', 2003; 'Screen Play', 2005), lithography ('Ephemera', 2009; 'Manga Scroll', 2010), and text ('Mixed Reviews', 1999-2000). New works introduced were 'Sixty-four Bells and a Bow' (2010) and 'Prêt-à-porter' (2010). Marclay describes himself as an 'instigator,' promoting interaction through the exhibition's design.
Key facts
- Exhibition titled 'Christian Marclay Festival' at Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, July 1 – September 26, 2010.
- Marclay has explored sound imagery for over thirty years through installations, objects, collages, photographs, and videos.
- The exhibition focuses on graphic scores as supports for live sound interpretation.
- Two to three daily performances by nearly fifty musicians.
- New works include 'Chalkboard' (2010), 'Sixty-four Bells and a Bow' (2010), 'Box Set' (2008-2010), and 'Prêt-à-porter' (2010).
- Pianist Rob Shwimmer regularly interprets the 'Chalkboard' palimpsest, erased weekly.
- Marclay describes himself as an 'instigator' rather than a composer.
- The exhibition layout includes variable geometry spaces for performances and displays.
Entities
Artists
- Christian Marclay
- Rob Shwimmer
Institutions
- Whitney Museum of American Art
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Berlin
Sources
- artpress —