tune in to elastic arts!

A special evening celebrating a cultural exchange between Mexico City and Chicago.

Film screening of Rhizomes Films’ “ELASTIC ARTS: Improvisation as a Political Dance” along with a performance by Angel Bat Dawid, Katie Ernst, Paul Giallorenzo, and Adam ZanolinComo parte de esta jornada, se proyectará ELASTIC ARTS. La improvisación como una danza política. El documental presenta el proceso creativo de músicxs de México y Chicago, destacando la improvisación como un elemento clave en la música, el trabajo en conjunto y las relaciones humanas. Es la tercer y última parte de un encuentro y seguimiento creativo donde músicxs de México y Chicago se reúnen para tocar, dialogar y explorar las potencias de la improvisación a distintos niveles de la vida. De este documento se desprenden interesantes reflexiones sobre la improvisación, el trabajo y la amistad.

As part of the evening, "ELASTIC ARTS: Improvisation as a Political Dance" will be screened. This documentary presents the creative process of musicians from Mexico and Chicago, highlighting improvisation as a key element in music, collaborative work, and human relationships. It is the third and final part of a creative gathering and follow-up where musicians from Mexico and Chicago come together to play, discuss, and explore the potential of improvisation at different levels of life. This documentary offers interesting reflections on improvisation, work, and friendship.

We are thrilled to once again bring together Dr. Rahul Sharma and the Rhythm Ambassadors of Funkadesi (Carlos Antonio Cornier, Kwame Steve Cobb, Rich Conti, and Maninderpal Singh) with Elastic Arts through this #HealingIllinois initiative. This immersive experience of learning to form a multicultural drum circle is designed to promote collective healing within and across communities.  No talent required - just a desire to deepen self-understanding and learn how to affirm our humanity while honoring our lived experiences as racial beings.

Please join us for Soft Power- A Deep Listening and Rest Session led by Angela James w/ Erica Miller, Sarah Clausen, and {ZìRán}. This new offering by Angela James combines guided meditation, simple movement/breath work, and improvised ambient sound for deep communal relaxation. Participants will bring their own yoga mat and blanket to lie down comfortably on the floor and rest together. No experience or skill necessary, the goal is to unwind together and tune the parasympathetic nervous systems through breath and gentle sound.

Tone Glow is excited to announce “Under Some Kind of Hex: Love & Sex in the Films of Stan Brakhage.” This two-part program will feature 16 short films from Stan Brakhage. In 1963, the filmmaker noted in his book Metaphors on Vision that his works concern themselves with “birth, sex, death, and the search for God.” The first program of this evening will feature 8 abstract works, including the six films that make up his Lovesong series. The second program will feature 8 films grounded in actual people and places. All films will be shown on 16mm.

We are extremely excited to host legendary composer Carl Stone presenting live compositions for the 16 channel system. Stone is one of the pioneers of live computer music, and has used computers in live performance since 1986. He has been hailed by the Village Voice as “the king of sampling.” and “one of the best composers living in (the USA) today.”. RELIX has written that “Stone makes music that can hit your ear holes like a DMT flash.”

Chicago-based producer/composer Mike Meegan makes music under the monikers RXM Reality and When 2. Over the course of five albums on Hausu Mountain since 2018, along with 2021’s Advent LP on Orange Milk, Meegan refined a strain of electronic production that unites facets of breakcore, techno, grime, noise, and countless other styles into detailed composites that attest to his omnivorous tastes and bottomless technical acumen as a producer. We’re connfident Meegan will compose a mind-boggling new set of music specifically for the system.

Nicole Alonso is a Chicago based experimental sound artist and musician. Her work blends sampling, sound manipulation, and live performance to explore themes of space, memory, and identity. She will be using Eurorack modules to present a sound collage featuring a variety of recordings she has collected that hold deep personal significance.

This is not one to miss.

Shake Shook Shaken is a dream of what a safe space could allow. A vision of a place for everybody to gather, look at each other, play and create in a non judgmental, trauma-informed way. It’s an invitation, a journey within and out, a surprise. Each workshop is unique. This month we’ll have Krissy Bergmark and Julie leading on the topic of REVOLUTIONS.

FFFT returns for its first iteration of sound and movement collaborations for 2025! Freedom From and Freedom To is an exploration and celebration of artistic circumstance. Movement and sound improvisors from all around Chicago gather in front of a live audience, where they are grouped by chance. Each group performs an improvised set. We fuse diverse artistic backgrounds and practices to create unique and fleeting worlds. There will be a special opening set from musicians Kim Alpert, Chris Corsano, and Jayve Montgomery alongside dancer Irene Hsiao. Following we’ll have 6 x 15 minute sets from on-the-spot lottery chosen ensembles. Don’t miss this!

S. African Anti-Apartheid Activist and Constitutional Court Justice speaks on Art and justice, followed by a performance dedicated to Johnny Dyani