Time (Capsule) & space (ship)
when music & art fuses
What happens when two musicians fuse with two artists in a defined space for a limited time? Graffiti writers are used to these circumstances and can create something out of nothing in a limited time frame. But how does that translate to the stage, with the viewer as the „fourth wall“? Musicians, on the other hand, are used to play in front of an audience - how do they react in the interaction to painting? A situation on a stage that creates a space in which music and color react with each other. The sounds of the musicians, as well as the resulting painting is developed in-situ and should be understood as an experiment. Each participant has to find his place, rhythm and stroke for himself. How will everyone handle their given time? To put it in the words of fortune cookie: The way counts, not the destination ...but with a cold beer.
The experiment took place on the first of December at Dorkypark, Berlin, and was curated by Manuel Osterholt aka Superblast. The participating Artist were Samon Kawamura, a German-Japanese instrumental hip-hop producer, Jay „One“ Ramier, a legendary and virtous graffiti writer of the first generation, who found a very unique and sensitive language and idiom, Almut Lustig, the drummer and percussionist who worked together with composers like Karl-Heinz Stockhausen, Helmut Oehring or with the choreographer Constanza Macras and SuperBlast aka Manuel Osterholt, the curator, who also has its roots in graffiti writing. We catched up with SuperBlast to hear more about the unique project:
The realization of TIME (capsule) and SPACE (ship) meant to me..
a dream come true. I wanted to bring music and painting together for a long time, as I mostly listen to music while painting and love the way it can bring me in a state of consciousness and/or peace. It helps me to disconnect with the side of my brain that is judging too much to paint more freely. Getting your favorite people to have fun together is magic. As everything fell in place, from schedules to funding, we were able to put the show together in a very fast way. I’m very happy how it played out and that everything went well aka as unplanned.
Besides the tight timing, the main challenge was..
to get everyones schedule together. After that was solved we „just" had to execute everything fast. Although at times it was quite improvised as the show, but with a great team we were able to jam together.
The work / influence of Jay One for me personally..
is huge. As he is one of my very early reference points in my graffiti writing: stylistic and on a human level. I consider him a mentor and friend with whom I can reflect on the current state of the contemporary art forms. I’m a big fan of his unique approach to art.
For the fusion with live sound I picked Samon Kawamura and Almut Lustig, because..
I always wanted to do something with them and finally figured out how that could work. The potential was there, that both would harmonize and create something interesting, which wouldn’t probably happened on their own.
I’m following Samon’s work for a while and just like him & his approach to music. It puts me in a good mood and mindset. If I would chose to make music, I would follow in his footsteps… Maybe one day!
The drumming/percusion skillset of Almut is incredible and I’m lucky to be familiar with her work for over 10 years, as she’s one of the main musical contributor to the Constanza Macras / Dorky Park dance theater. She has a broad repertoire of music directions, but most importantly she’s able to improvise on the spot… Which was the whole idea for this evening.
Which three all time fave tracks get you into a TIME (capsule) and SPACE (ship)?
Beastie Boys – Intergalactic
Sun Ra – Voice Of Space
The Heliocentrics – Distant Star
Universal mythology and religious iconography in our current time inspires me..
as it has since early childhood. It gives me a frame to see humankind and the human conditions as it is. We see our current times with all it’s news and developments as novelties, but when you go back in time, it has always be here. All the games, drama, gain for wealth and power, but also the search for a meaning in life. These stories enrich my understanding and give me sense of what is happening around me. I don’t like to get tangled up in the daily news cycle (which I usually do anyway), but rather see this red thread that goes through history.
photography by Emil Schramm & jk