This was a presentation of some experiments that were taken on during the duo exhibit " refracted futures, in black and white" that was up at Nikki Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana in May 2024. We had three rehearsals in the gallery space and then showed what we came up with on closing night. I had been trying to sing and weave in rhythm on my own and bringing other musicians forward elevated the whole experience. Looking forward to collaborating and working with other musicians.
This song " Tis Trihas to Gefyri" is a traditional Greek song from the Pontic region. A region on the southern coast of the Black sea located in the modern-day eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey, that was densely populated by Pontic Greeks for thousands of years until they were subjected to genocide and expelled from Turkey after 1922.
During the presentation of the closing night of "refracted futures, in black and white" , a duo exhibit by Sophia DeJesus and myself at Nikki Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana in the month of May 2024, I invited members of the polyphonic vocal group Trendafilka to join me on the loom singing a polyphonic midsummer folk song from North-East Lithuania that is traditionally sung around the summer solstice. I was keeping rhythm on the loom while weaving threads as their voices wove into song.
A clip from our rehearsal at Nikki Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana when " refracted futures, in black and white" was up for the month of May 2024. With my woven pieces in the gallery as well as Sophia DeJesus Sabella's piece "veiled" in the background. This song was composed and written by Cory Diane. Experimenting with the loom as a percussive instrument without a constant beat.
First rehearsal with musicians, jamming with the loom, made up on the spot