“Ignite the spark – unite the arts!” That’s the rallying cry for an innovative arts collaboration between the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia (MOCA GA) and Ensemble Vim, a chamber music group celebrating diverse, living composers.
Last year, Ensemble Vim and MOCA GA launched “spark,” an annual “intersectional music and art festival” pairing selected composers with artists in other mediums to create new works. This year “spark” brings us a new collaboration series blending composition and visual art, with world premiere performances on Feb. 10 at MOCA GA.
Ensemble Vim pianist and Co-Founder Choo Choo Hu and MOCA GA Archivist and Director of Collections and Exhibitions Stacey Savatsky recently joined Lois Reitzes on “City Lights” to discuss the projects.
Each project in this year’s festival reflects deeply personal and historical themes. Artist Kelly Taylor Mitchell and composer Chelsea Loew traveled to the Great Dismal Swamp, a historic refuge for enslaved and Indigenous people, using field recordings and organic materials to create “Voices in the Mire.” Artist Alan Caomin Xie and composer Ofir Klemperer explore migration and identity in “Destination Terminus,” an immersive sound and visual piece shaped by their own immigrant experiences. Meanwhile, sculptor Martha Whittington and composer Joon (Will) Young Kim tackle the evolution of language in “Babble,” where musicians will perform throughout the gallery, transforming into living parts of an interactive installation.
“We wanted this to be as much about the journey as the final product,” explained Savatsky. “The way these artists and composers have built off each other’s ideas is truly remarkable.”
