Performance
by KYTV and The Sunseekers

 
 
Venue: Utterly Art
(208 South Bridge Road,
tel: 6226 2605)

Date and Time: 25th Dec 2002, 8pm

For performance trailers, please click here . (109kb)

or here. (213kb-- with better sound quality)

 
 

Details of performances:


MATA KOYAK 1.1 by KYTV
Mata Koyak is a Malay term. A direct translation in English would mean 'torn eyes'. Mata Koyak was conceived a few months ago by KYTV that culminated in a performance in Oni Studio at Armenian street.

It was a performance that featured improvisational musical accompaniment, installation and dance. We derived from the themes of vertigo and reality shifts. Using these as a point of departure, we translated them into a language between music and movement.

Mata Koyak 1.1 is a continuation of the first installment. The space we are negotiating this time is the spiral staircase (attached in the mail) behind the backdoor of Utterly Art gallery. It would be interesting to do a performance there, especially during the opening of BEAUTY.

This time we would be treading on possible notions of

1) See no BEAUTY, hear no BEAUTY, speak no BEAUTY
2) Vertigo; balancing; tightrope
3) Peacocks

It promises o be a fusion of our art practices, including sound, projections, and absurd appendages.

'…did I not remember once, the lyrics to a song that went something like, "I am beautiful……."'

see also:
http://www.kytv.info

Performance by The Sunseekers
The Sunseekers will present an interactive sound and musical performance. In this performance, audiences will be encouraged to play with homemade and professional musical instruments that is provided and explore the process of creating a 'live' experience in a musical performance. The members of Sunseekers will improvise with the 'live' inputs from audiences to make a music composition collectively.

Through this presentation, The Sunseekers want to introduce and explore the rhythm that naturally exists in every single person, challenge the concious process of creative exploration in sound and music and to achieve a heightened sense of sound and musical appreciation with their audiences.

Be One with Nature.... Naturally Yours!

The Sunseekers Biography:
The Sunseekers is a post-New Age music band. It was founded in 2001 in Yogjakarta, Indonesia during a research trip by the founding members: Jeremy Hiah, Kai and Tien. Since then the band has released a Single and MTV entitled, "Song for Mount Bromo". The Sunseekers is a musical platform for those who believe that music is the universal rhythm, which communicates peace and love to the world. The sounds of volcanoes and forests are often themes in their music. The band has jammed with numerous musicians/artists like George Chua, Brother Joseph McNally, Juneo Lee, Heri Dono and many more.

The founding members Jeremy, Kai and Tien are fronting the band now. When asked, 'Who else is in the Sunseekers band?' You will receive the typical answer of 'everyone who is a sun seeker is in the band'. The philosophy of the band is reflected in that answer. Like Beuy's who claims in his social sculpture theory that 'everyone is an artist', The Sunseekers believe that everyone is a musician for the rhythm and beats come from within you. Therefore the band believes that every sun seeker is in the band.

The band is currently the resident band of The Artists Village and recording their 'master piece' album which is be intended to be release in early 2003.

TAV contact person
tien
Tel/Fax: 6296 8707
Mobile: 9238 6609
E-mail: tien@tav.org.sg

 
Sponsored by:

Lee Foundation
Reviews of the performance :
A Record of an Experience
(Loo Zihan)
The living room like nature of the performance space, complemented with the balloon strewn floor, and the constant buzz of friendly conversation in the air makes one feel as if he has intruded upon a family reunion party upon entering. Both performances that night had a raw energy about them.

The first performance was by KYTV, they had a mixture of music played from guitars, a tabla, and poetic one liners. The dedication and energy injected into the performance by Rizman - who pranced around the floor in his glam-rockstar/Whoopi-Goldberg costume was commendable. Although this audience member was lost most of the time, so lost to even try to understand what the performer was reading from his book, I enjoyed the sensory experience.

The second performance was by The Sunseekers, and they managed to achieve a certain amount of deliberate spontaneity through their performance. It was interesting how they integrated the performance space into their instrument as they struck the metal spiral staircase to produce beats a la stomp. Audience members were invited to participate in the performance too but with a certain amount of reservation.

With more polishing, I am sure the performance will be more knitted. Even though at times one artist did try to orchestrate the performers, it seems like the instruments and the sounds they produce are fragmented pieces with a certain link weaving them together missing, - but perhaps such rawness is exactly what the artists wants to achieve?


(Ng How Wee)
Personally, for a work of art or music to be successful, the audience/appreciator has to experience a representation(s) of form and theme that is refreshing, yet vaguely familiar to their past experiences in art exhibitions, concerts or theatre. In other words, the aesthetics presented must hover over the thin line between the known and the unknown, which allows the reader to identify her/himself with, yet discover and (re)create something for her/himself. For example, an artist who presents slapstick could probably achieve some laughs, but the audience is likely to forget it sooner or later. This is simply because the artist was just only representing something that is too firmly encased in the realm of the known, and too easily identifiable to their everyday mundanities, hence does not provide space for the audience to recreate.

Apparently, the performances of KYTV's and The Sunseeker's are more inclined towards the realm of the unknown.
As someone who has a little knowledge of classical music and modern theatre, the night at Utterly Art was a totally refreshing experience. My first contact with KYTV was at one of TNS's 'Names Changed to Protect the Innocent' and was very much captivated by Rizman's raw liveliness and stylistic body movements. This time, instead of a sensual feminine voice reciting poetically and vigorous drumming in the background to compliment his performance, Rizman dresses in a body-hugging purple suit and exudes his usual "oomphs" and "ahs" effortlessly with three other male artists playing their guitars and the drum. While the piece was quite congruent and flows smoothly on the whole, it seemed a little unrehearsed. Perhaps this is to create an aura of rawness but one could content with a little more slickness. The musicians seemed somewhat detached from their own instruments and soul was kind of lacking. The room left for imagination and re-creation was not as substantial as that formed by The Sunseekers.

The Sunseekers not only reminded one that music is omnipresent in our everyday lives, but also allows the audience to participate in the spontaneous making of music with the artists. The piece kicked off silently with artists strumming the railings of a steel spiral staircase, while others played flutes and harmonicas. Some members of the audience picked up the thin steel bars dropped by one of the musician to contribute their bit of rattle and some played drums and the like. Players from KYTV too did their part with their own instruments. The overall effect though seemed like a bit of a cacophony sometimes, but generally gelled and was pleasantly reminiscent of one of those world music numbers. However, the musicians (including people from the audience who participated) may have got too carried away towards the end. Hence, repeated efforts by a musician from The Sunseekers to synchronise all to a grand finale did not work. It was nevertheless an enjoyable performance.
 

 

 

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