After speaking with a friend of mine last night about Jason Freeman's piece, Graph Theory that opens tonight at Spruill, I wanted to address his criticism. His main concern with Graph Theory is that it is pretentious and completely ungratifying. Frankly, I just don't understand that at all. If anything, what makes Freeman's piece so intriguing for the average bear is that it allows for something, music composition, that is generally restricted to a select educated few to become a realisitic possiblity for anyone. In the same way that paint-by-numbers destigmatized fine art by allowing anyone to paint like Van Gogh or Matisse, now the same is true of music.
Come and decide for yourself. Beaking New Ground opens tongiht at Spruill Gallery from 6 to 9 p.m. We are so much more fun and more free than Radiohead.
4 comments:
I'll be there to check out the exhibitions.
I heard Jason's piece performed at a sonic generator concert once. It's a fun concept that does engage people in the music making process. I'm curious, why does your friend think the piece is pretentious? What's pretentious about it? It is what it is, and I think Jason would be the first to admit it's more about the process than the end result.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to other things too like Dick Robinson's participation. I want to find out what that's about.
See you there!
Like I said, I really don't see pretention in it at all. I think it is a pretty straightforward piece,and after spedning some time with it and really figuring it out it does become very gratifying.
I spent at least 10 minutes playing with that piece, which is a really long time for me to be standing still listening to something. Definitely awesome, and not at all pretentious.
If you don't mind me asking, how old is your friend?
He is 24, 25ish. Somewhere in there. I was really taken aback by the comment when he said it, because of the people I know I would have imagined that he would have enjoyed that piece more than most in the show.
I have logged a ridiculous amount of hours on the online version of the program, which is actually even better becuase there are more options for tonal segments to string together. I would highly recommend trying that one.
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