Monday, May 3, 2010

Image Of The Day-"During The Event"

DJ Responsibility
Formalism
Carnegie Museum Main Branch
Saturday May 1, 2010
Oakland

Of all the musicians we have in town, I think none are more creative than David Bernabo. For years he has been integrating his music with art, literature, and performance like no one else. His latest project is DJ Responsibility and his first endeavor under the moniker is Formalism. He produced an album. One copy only. The only way you can hear it is to visit the library and listen to it. You cannot check it out and you cannot find it anywhere else. You can read more about it
here. When I first heard about it I was fascinated. Dave was kind enough to meet me at the library as I wanted to 'document' his latest idea. I was sort of expecting to photograph a bunch of people listening to the music and possibly producing a collage of some sort. When it was apparent that it was going to be just me and him, I gave Dave the camera to photograph me while I listened to the 19 minute album before I took shots of him. Sitting there, I was kinda blown away by the utter simplicity of the project but started thinking of the realms of participation by an 'audience' member, and to exponentially add the fact that the composer himself was documenting me for ideas I had and...um, yeah, I am sure Dave would be the first to say, "Hugh, chill". All I can say is please do yourself a favor and swing by Oakland before May 31st to at least hear the piece. After that, it's going to be gone forever. What is also exciting is the fact that this will not be the last DJ Responsibility 'experience' and hopefully, I will be able to feature some of them here, that is, if I am quick enough!


3 comments:

Timothy said...

Thanks for documenting this with your photos! After the official listening station is taken down, it shouldn't be gone forever. We hope to make Formalism a part of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh - Music Department's reference collection of hundreds of local CDs and LPs.

Hughshows said...

So Timothy, as part of the Library's collection, I can check it out and take it home or does it stay in-house?

Timothy said...

Lots and lots of local recordings are in the circulating collection, including other Bernabo projects. But Formalism (being a one-of-a-kind item) will stay in-house.