Acclaimed composer and multi-instrumentalist Dameun Strange is set to present a series of afrofuturist experiments at Elastic Arts. This performance, supported by Sonic Vanguard, serves as a cornerstone of his AACM composition residency.
The evening promises an immersive exploration of sound and sight, featuring a diverse program that pushes the boundaries of traditional performance:
Solo Audio-Visual Piece: A dedicated work exploring the intersection of solo instrumentation and synchronized digital media.
4D Visual Score Integrations: Two distinct audio-video pieces utilizing an innovative 4D visual score system.
Project | AD: A featured work-in-progress that draws deep inspiration from the life and enduring social legacy of Angela Davis.
Through these afrofuturist lenses, Strange continues to investigate the potential for technological integration within the rich tradition of creative improvised music.
Project AD | Genesis
This work in progress serves as a critical examination of the legacy of Angela Davis, utilizing a 4D visual score to explore themes of liberation and resilience. It represents a continuation of Strange's interest in non-linear storytelling and ritual performance.
Helianthus | Sankofa
Originally premiered as a Cedar Commission in 2017, Helianthus functions as a ritualistic vehicle for ancestor worship, specifically honoring the matriarchs who raised Strange. The "Sankofa" iteration utilizes the new 4D scoring methodology to create an immersive, interdimensional travel experience for performers and audience alike, moving beyond the linear constraints of traditional staff notation.
AquaSonos | Hydrologic
Born from Strange's 2019 residency in Senegal, the AquaSonos canon uses graphic notation to explore genetic memory and the African diaspora's relationship with water. This installment, Hydrologic, leverages advanced 4D scoring techniques developed during his residency with the Capitol Region Watershed District in Saint Paul, MN to map complex, recurring rhythmic cycles.
$15 / $10 w/ Student ID - Tickets Available at the Door
Artist Bio
Dameun Maurice Strange is a Saint Paul, MN-based sound artist, multi-instrumentalist, and composer renowned for his conceptual chamber and electronic works that delve into stories of the African diaspora through an Afrofuturist lens. His artistic mission is to articulate the beauty and resilience of the Black experience through sound, music, and poetry, drawing on ancestral narratives to bridge the past, present, and future. Strange's innovative sound experiments fuse West African polyrhythms, synthesizers, contemporary jazz harmonies, and found sounds, field recordings, and historic recordings to craft modern Afrofuturist performances that transcend conventional genre boundaries.