Experiments in Sound
As a part of the Remembering to Remember: Experiments in Sound programming, PICA hosted three nights of live performances
Remembering to Remember: Performance Night Three - Sholeh Asgary and Nyokabi Kariũki (2023) by Arists include Sholeh Asgary and Nyokabi Kariũki, photo credit Tojo AndrianarivoPortland Institute for Contemporary Art
Honoring the vibrant communities of sound art in Portland
As part of the larger exhibition of Remembering to Remember: Experiments in Sound, this program held three nights of live sound performances at PICA highlighting the rich histories and vibrant communities of sound art in Portland.
Remembering to Remember: Performance Night One - Lucy Liyou and Nivhek (2023) by Arists include Lucy Liyou and Nivhek, photo credit Tojo AndrianarivoPortland Institute for Contemporary Art
Night one
The first night of live shows for Remembering to Remember: Experiments in Sound began with a performance by San Francisco-based Lucy Liyou (San Francisco, CA), followed by Astoria, Oregon-based Nivhek (Grouper’s Liz Harris).
Remembering to Remember: Performance Night One - Lucy Liyou and Nivhek (2023) by Arists include Lucy Liyou and Nivhek, photo credit Tojo AndrianarivoPortland Institute for Contemporary Art
Lucy Liyou
The first night performance kicked off with San Francisco-based Lucy Liyou (San Francisco, CA), acclaimed for their innovative use of text-to-speech vocals in experimental music and piano.
Remembering to Remember: Performance Night One - Lucy Liyou and Nivhek (2023) by Arists include Lucy Liyou and Nivhek, photo credit Tojo AndrianarivoPortland Institute for Contemporary Art
Nivhek
Immediately following the performance by Lucy Liyou, Astoria, Oregon-based Nivhek (Grouper’s Liz Harris) performed a live version of her new project ENGINE.
Remembering to Remember: Performance Night One - Lucy Liyou and Nivhek (2023) by Arists include Lucy Liyou and Nivhek, photo credit Tojo AndrianarivoPortland Institute for Contemporary Art
Nivhek's project ENGINE used train and car engine noises from Portland drag races, local railway tracks, synth and other electronics.
Remembering to Remember: Performance Night One - Lucy Liyou and Nivhek (2023) by Arists include Lucy Liyou and Nivhek, photo credit Tojo AndrianarivoPortland Institute for Contemporary Art
A multichannel installation of ENGINE was commissioned by PICA for the Remembering to Remember exhibition, which was on view at PICA from March 3rd through March 19, 2023.
Remembering to Remember: Performance Night Two - Crystal Quartez and Hiro Kone (2023) by Arists include Crystal Quartez and Hiro Kone, photo credit Tojo AndrianarivoPortland Institute for Contemporary Art
Night two
Night two of live performances for Remembering to Remember: Experiments in Sound began with musician and creative technologist Crystal Quartez (Portland, OR), followed by Hiro Kone (the alias of Nicky Mao).
Crystal Quartez
Night two began with musician and creative technologist Crystal Quartez (Portland, OR), whose richly textured and complex soundscapes for dance music and performances are sometimes translated from data from the natural and social world.
Remembering to Remember: Performance Night Two - Crystal Quartez and Hiro Kone (2023) by Arists include Crystal Quartez and Hiro Kone, photo credit Tojo AndrianarivoPortland Institute for Contemporary Art
Hiro Kone
Immediately following Crystal Quartez was the celebrated New York-based musician and producer Hiro Kone (the alias of Nicky Mao), whose expansive sounds draw from modular synthesis, noise, and field recordings.
Remembering to Remember: Performance Night Two - Crystal Quartez and Hiro Kone (2023) by Arists include Crystal Quartez and Hiro Kone, photo credit Tojo AndrianarivoPortland Institute for Contemporary Art
Hiro Kone seen here on the second night of live performances for Remembering to Remember: Experiments in Sound. This was Hiro's first live performance of her 2023 touring schedule.
Remembering to Remember: Performance Night Three - Sholeh Asgary and Nyokabi Kariũki (2023) by Arists include Sholeh Asgary and Nyokabi Kariũki, photo credit Tojo AndrianarivoPortland Institute for Contemporary Art
Night three
The final night of performances for Remembering to Remember: Experiments in Sound showcased Sholeh Asgary (Oakland, CA) and Nyokabi Kariũki (Nairobi, Kenya; Baltimore, MD; New York, NY).
Remembering to Remember: Performance Night Three - Sholeh Asgary and Nyokabi Kariũki (2023) by Arists include Sholeh Asgary and Nyokabi Kariũki, photo credit Tojo AndrianarivoPortland Institute for Contemporary Art
Sholeh Asgary
Iranian-born Asgary's expansive practice includes immersive works, live performances, and participatory scores that use visual, sound, and collective processes.
Remembering to Remember: Performance Night Three - Sholeh Asgary and Nyokabi Kariũki (2023) by Arists include Sholeh Asgary and Nyokabi Kariũki, photo credit Tojo AndrianarivoPortland Institute for Contemporary Art
Nyokabi Kariũki
Closing out the third, and final night of performances was Nyokabi Kariũki (Nairobi, Kenya; Baltimore, MD; New York, NY). Kariũki is a Kenyan composer and sound artist based between Kenya and the United States.
Remembering to Remember: Performance Night Three - Sholeh Asgary and Nyokabi Kariũki (2023) by Arists include Sholeh Asgary and Nyokabi Kariũki, photo credit Tojo AndrianarivoPortland Institute for Contemporary Art
The sonic imagination and compositions of Nyokabi Kariũki are ever-evolving and span genres from classical contemporary and experimental-electronic, to sound art, pop, film, and (East) African musical traditions.
Remembering to Remember: Performance Night Three - Sholeh Asgary and Nyokabi Kariũki (2023) by Arists include Sholeh Asgary and Nyokabi Kariũki, photo credit Tojo AndrianarivoPortland Institute for Contemporary Art
Kariũki often performs with piano, vocals, electronics, and with several instruments from the African continent. Nyokabi seeks to create meaningful and challenging art, illuminated by a commitment to the preservation and reflection on African thought, language, and stories.
Remembering to Remember: Experiments in Sound (2023) by Artists include Adee Roberson, Alison O’Daniel, bone lattice, Crystal Quartez, Hiro Kone, Kite & Robbie Wing, Lucy Liyou, Nivhek, Nyokabi Kariũki, Reese Bowes, Saint Abdullah, Sholeh Asgary, Synth Library Portland, Takashi Makino, and Tomoko Sauvage. Photo by Mario GallucciPortland Institute for Contemporary Art
Remembering to Remember is, "a feast for the eyes"
"The exhibition seems ideal for return visits to catch fresh nuances and details in the work on display, as well as digging deeper into the live performances and workshops happening throughout its run." - Robert Ham, The Portland Mercury, Spring Arts Preview 2023
Learn more about this program!
To learn more about Remembering to Remember: Experiments in Sound, the performances, and all the artists involved, visit our event page.
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