Sculpture by Roland Gebhardt, choreography by Mercedes Searer & music by Moondog mix together in unique, free performance.
June 26 at Jack Hanley Gallery
The LakeArts Foundation will present the World Premiere of TROPHIES, a unique collaborative performance piece that blends sculptural masks by Roland Gebhardt, choreography by Mercedes Searer and music by Moondog performed live by HalfMoon Consort under the direction of Louis Nicolia. It will be performed on June 26 at Jack Hanley Gallery.
Collecting TROPHIES is a common social pursuit and there are innumerable types of TROPHIES. In this performance piece, collecting hunting TROPHIES serves as an analogy. The hunter seeks to transpose the animal spirit and enshrines it on a wall as trophy. Hunting is a right of passage; collecting trophies is a symbol of prowess. Sculptor Roland Gebhardt has created a series of abstract animal masks that transpose the wearers’ identity from that of a living creature to that of an object. Choreographer Mercedes Searer and her dancers animate the animal masks as set to the music of Moondog, the blind street musician who rose from the sidewalks of New York to compose, play, and record a music like no other.
TROPHIES is danced by Mercedes Searer, Macklin Kowal and Alexander Leslie Thompson. The performance features live music under the direction of Louis Nicolia of HalfMoon Consort performed by Andrija Andjelic (piano), Louis Nicolia (violin), Bradley T. Amidon (percussion), Rebecca Walsh (horns), James Pearson (cello), Sonny Froman (drums, percussion), and Stefan Lakatos (trimba -- Moondg's own unique percussion instrument). Multiple Moondog compositions including madrigals (vocal rounds), logrundes (instrumental works for ensemble), solo piano pieces and drum solos will be performed without pauses; the trimba will lead the transitions between the different compositions.
Roland Gebhardt is an internationally known sculptor and designer. In 2008 he debuted The Only Tribe, his first live theater piece for masks, which featured choreography by Peter Kyle and video design by Reid Farrington, at New York's 3LD Art & Technology Center. Best known for his monolithic sculptures, Gebhardt's work has been shown around the world and is in many prominent collections. He studied at both the Art Academy of Hamburg and the Kunstgewerbeschule in Zurich. He has been principal and proprietor of Roland Gebhardt Design, located in downtown Manhattan, since 1987 and was the Designer Director for Robert P. Gersin Associates. He developed a line of sculptural furniture and holds several mechanical and design product patents. He was the co-chair of Rebuild Downtown Our Town, and is a member of the steering committee for the Civic Alliance. Gebhardt was a faculty member of Pratt Institute, School of Architecture, Graduate Program for Urban Planning, and is a Fellow of The Institute for Urban Design. For more info visit www.RolandGebhardt.com.
Mercedes Searer is a Brooklyn based dancer/choreographer and freelance arts administrator. Since arriving in New York in 2009 Mercedes has danced for Elizabeth Streb, Lucinda Childs, Deganit Shemy and Twyla Tharp, among others. She currently dances for Peter Kyle Dance and Jody Oberfelder. Her choreography has been performed at the Andy Warhol Museum, The Children’s Museum, and Bellefield Hall, all in Pittsburgh, PA. Her work has also been featured in New York City at the Solar One Dance Series, Green Space’s Taking Root Series, Elm City Dance Series, and Triskelion’s Waxworks.
Music director Louis Nicolia is the founder of founder of Half Moon Consort, a music group that performs the music of Moondog. He is a member of the Erie Philharmonic, the Erie Chamber Orchestra and various other ensembles. In 2007 he produced the Moondog Project at Mercyhurst College, the first full concert of the music of Moondog in 30 years.
The LakeArts Foundation, under founder and executive director Margaret Johnson, is committed to the development and presentation of global innovation in the arts and technology through the International Festival of Arts and Innovation, the LakeArts Media Arts Programs and the LakeArts Incubator. For more info visit www.LakeArtsFoundation.org.
TROPHIES will be presented on Thursday, June 26 at 5pm and 6:30pm. Running time is approximately 40 minutes. Tickets are free with a suggested donation of $15 at the door. No advance reservations are required. Jack Hanley Gallery is located at 327 Broome Street (between Bowery and Chrystie Streets, just below Delancey -- accessible from the J train at Bowery or the F at Delancey). For more information, call 716-451-4004 or visit www.LakeArtsFoundation.org.