in Collaboration with Gerald Friedrich Spelsberg
As part of THE BILL programme Artspace presents two forms of performance by Berlin based, American artist and musician Black Cracker, in collaboration with Berlin based art director/designer Gerald Friedrich Spelsberg (GFS). Rather than any form of image making or a visual reference, in this project Artspace develops a sound based production that aims to extend our imagination and rediscover our landscape through another contemporary voice. Artspace is interested in not only connecting with another potential audience, but also utilises a new form of event that we have not considered yet; a hip hop gig.
Inspired by the waves of Piha Beach, the winds of the Pacific and the everyday noise on K-road, Artspace has commissioned Black Cracker for a new sound piece, which includes a collaboration with GFS, as an open conversation with Aotearoa’s unique context.
Black Cracker and GFS will visit New Zealand for a short-term residency, providing them with new opportunities to meet with local musicians, artists and designers. This intense experience that includes such a physical change; in location, body and mind, will be narrated by someone new to this context, and who is experiencing an on-going transformation themself.
Black Cracker’s strong voice, and talent of combining sociologically complicated issues into a personal way of living provide us a directly political language to communicate and connect. His songs such as “Chasing Rainbows” and “Tide” penetrate into the performance of everyday life. Sometimes they are happy, sometimes they are angry, but they are always real.