Though you might not be exposed to the current music scene of the Middle East, those who are sense in it the same problems that have long been constraining American music– lack of innovation due to commercialization, and a fear of presenting challenges to audiences engrossed with what one Arabic artist calls “plastic surgery pop.” The artist, Kuwaiti songwriter and professional trendspotter+Aziz is determined to explore this conflicted notion through a pop-up performance with other musicians and sound artists.
+Aziz, the artist behind the development of UNCOLLECTABLE.
From June 21st to July 10th, Soho gallery Hotel Particulier will host a rotating exhibition called UNCOLLECTABLE, named both for the art it will showcase that explores collection, and for the site-based work that can’t survive beyond the environment it’s installed in and thus resists collection. On the opening weekend, +Aziz and a team of multicultural musicians, will kick off the exhibit
by with a two-day performance. This performance, similarly resistant to collection, aspires to explore the potential of indie music in the Middle East by creating musical experiences that are informed by trends beyond the entertainment industry. Additionally, the performance will go beyond music itself, occasionally utilizing the art of unstructured sound on its own and examining how sound and traditionally-defined music intersect. Hopefully, what will result is greater innovation and creativity inspired by a wider embrace of the interdisciplinary arts.
UNCOLLECTABLE comes out of a collaboration with ArteEast, a New York-based non-profit organization with a focus on contemporary Middle Eastern art and the Arabian Gulf design conference, NUQAT. The project is collecting funds through an Indiegogo campaign until June 21st. (A $5 donation allows you MP3s and access to supplementary UNCOLLECTABLE multimedia; a $2,000 donation gets you the answer of what the plus sign is doing in +Aziz’s name). Make plans to visit a performance on June 21st or 22nd, or donate to add a little more depth to the global conversation about musical innovation. Get in touch with the author @laraelmayan.
