For the next edition of the Fresh Paint series Subtleism, Chief Curator Laura Mott pairs a new body of work with Neha Vedpathak with works by Agnes Martin, one of her seminal influences. Join us for a gallery performance highlighting the durational meditative quality of the works with music that uses the technique of plucking for stringed instruments.
Vedpathak’s minimalist works are created using a process she calls “plucking,” a durational, meditative process of very slowly pulling apart paper, completely transforming it. Plucking is a term also used in music, primarily with stringed instruments, a technique used by cultures all over the world which takes hours of practice to master, manual dexterity and determination. A practice of intimate durational relationship between artist and technique.
Our series of the same name “Plucking” invites artists to play acoustically within North Gallery in the exhibition to pluck away at their craft in a durational meditative sense on select Saturday afternoons. Audiences will be provided with floor pillows and be encouraged to come and go, staying as long as they are moved to, to experience the performances (but not encouraging a concrete seated audience for the whole period).
Ara Topouzian is an Armenian-American musician whose proficiency at the Kanun (Middle Eastern harp with 78 strings) has made him a nationally recognized artist for over thirty years.
He has performed at concerts, music festivals and many celebrated venues across the United States, with some of the top musicians of Armenian and Middle Eastern music. Notably, Topouzian has performed to large audiences at the Detroit Institute of the Arts, Detroit Orchestra Hall, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Old Town School of Folk Music, and Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
Topouzian’s traditional music style keeps to his Armenian heritage but has expanded to include music from around the Middle East with jazz and world music influences.
The recipient of numerous awards, Topouzian’s music has been heard and sold around the globe. He has produced close to twenty recordings since 1994 and has been a guest recording artist on several albums. Many of his musical tracks have been used in film documentaries including three produced by Emmy Award winner producer Andrew Goldberg.
In 2000, Topouzian’s music was used in an educational audio package produced by McGraw Hill for the purpose of teaching students different forms of world music. Topouzian also narrated one of the units while demonstrating the Kanun. His work is also mentioned in several books about Armenian, Greek, and World Music.
In 2012, Kresge Arts of Detroit recognized Topouzian with a Kresge Arts Fellowship for his achievements and contributions to his craft. In 2015, to honor the 100th anniversary remembrance of 1.5 million Armenians massacred by order of the Turkish Ottoman Empire, Topouzian produced an award-winning film documentary called Guardians of Music: A History of Armenian Music in Detroit. This film paid homage to the first-generation Armenian musicians that kept traditional Armenian music alive in the Detroit community. The film was produced thanks to major funding by the Knights Arts Challenge and premiered nationally on Public Broadcasting System (PBS).
In recognition of his accomplishments, former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder appointed Topouzian to the Michigan Council of Arts & Cultural Affairs in 2018. The council works to increase and broaden the influence of arts and culture within Michigan communities. He was re-appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2020 and currently serves on the council’s Executive Committee. In 2021, Ara performed to a sold-out audience at TEDx Detroit. In 2022, Ara received the Michigan Heritage Award through the Michigan Traditional Arts Program of Michigan State University.
No registration is required for this performance. Free with museum admission.
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