Please join us for the fourth installment of our Friday Night Performance Series where Phoebe Tsang (violin, poetry) and Tom Stiles (winds, percussion, samples, electronics) will debut two original installation-specific compositions inspired by Phyllida Barlow’s exhibition Eleven Columns, and Liz Magor’s exhibition The Separation. In addition, they will reprise another unique composition previously created for MOCA, which spoke to Kapwani Kiwanga’s exhibition Remediation (2023).
The Stack (c. 20 minutes) is a seemingly monolithic wall of sound composed from interlocking sonic cells that recycle repeating elements, in response to untitled: Eleven Columns by Phyllida Barlow. The sculpture consists of eleven elements, each comprised of three to four hollow, stackable sections. The music speaks to Barlow’s practice of repurposing her own art works, and her playful deceptions. Monumental structures are lighter than they appear, and what seems solid and unyielding is a conduit for free-flowing air.
The Afterlife of Desire (c. 15 minutes) is a series of minimalistic sound poems that interact with the narratives of environmental damage and consumer waste embodied by objects found in Liz Magor’s The Stream, shown within Magor’s current exhibition, The Separation. Disposable coffee cups, wrapping paper, and bird bones combine with original music and poetry that aims to excavate meaning from loss.
Wood Fire, Fire Wood (c. 15 minutes) was created in response to Scorch by Kapwani Kiwanga, one of many works shown within Remediation.
About the Artists
Phoebe Tsang is a Hong Kong-born Chinese, British, and Canadian violinist and writer. Her debut short fiction collection, “Setting Fire to Water”, was published in 2022. Her libretti have been commissioned and premiered by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Canadian Sinfonietta, Continuum Contemporary Music, Tapestry Opera, and Hamilton Philharmonic. She holds a BSc in Architecture from the Bartlett School, University College London.
Tom Stiles is a recording engineer, sound designer and musician working on the North American West Coast in both studio and live performance settings. His live work often also involves mixing for sound reinforcement and streaming audiences. Tom has mixed the soundtracks for six feature length documentaries and selected shorts. He also teaches workshops and tutorials in audio production and podcasting. Tom performs on harmonium, hand drums, percussion, and electric bass.
