Classical Music

oct 19 now now soon always Hello! The story of modern art is often told through the Poetry born from Hidden lens of the works created by artists, but the envi- ronments which contributed to their inspiration is often missed out. We’re taking another look at traditional narratives with our major new exhibition Into the Night: Cabarets and Clubs cheating death Figures: in Modern Art, which opens this month. Explore the social spaces from around the world that were the cauldrons of their creativity, from cab- Jamie Hale’s Pit Party will be a celebration of arets to bars and clubs, as we not only share D/deaf and disabled artists – an opportunity to Euzhan some paintings by some of the 19th and 20th century’s most exciting artists, but recreate the see talent that is often excluded from the stage. venues they hung out in (see page 5-6). Elsewhere, there’s opportunity to see acts not Facing a worsening of their underlying The second half of Hale’s Pit Party will be physical impairment and increasingly severe performed by D/deaf and disabled artists. Palcy often seen on stage as Jamie Hale brings their Pit Party to our studio theatre, with an exciting infections that they knew had a high chance It will feature Signkid, Jackie Hagan, Amelia line-up of superb British D/deaf and disabled of killing them, Jamie Hale started writing a Cavallo, Elle Chante and Katie Walters, Donna talent (see page 1). What happens when you try poetry performance about facing death. But Williams and Jessi Parrott. to write music with an artificial intelligence is ex- an experimental treatment saw the prognosis ‘I was looking for artists that could explode plored by electronic music artist Holly Herndon improve drastically – and the show transform. out from the touch points in NOT DYING,’ says in PROTO (page 3), and there’s an arresting ‘NOT DYING became about the shift from Hale. ‘We have a blind aerial artist, a deaf multimedia work combining the powerful pho- focusing on my relationship with my own hip-hop producer performing in British Sign tography of Bill Henson and our International mortality to my relationship with myself as a Language, an award-winning poet angry Associate Ensemble, the Australian Chamber disabled person,’ says Hale. First performed about the treatment of people on disability New Suns features book stalls and talks © Catarina Rodrigues Orchestra (page 4). as part of Transpose – an evening of work by benefits, and much more. I wanted pieces that Rethink your perceptions of technology at trans artists at the Barbican – and developed would challenge my work and reframe it, that feminist literary festival, New Suns (page 2), and through our Open Lab programme, the solo would not just reflect what I was doing but show find out why electronic music composer Gazelle poetry show ‘plumbs the depths of misery that completely different experiences.’ Twin loves the Centre so much (page 17). can accompany life-threatening illness, before Where feminism changing focus to ask 'how can I, as a disabled CRIPtic Pit Party And finally, we’re very excited to reveal the new- person, exist in the world?'. 11-12 Oct look Guide cover. We had a few design con- See page 11 for details cepts to pick from, and wanted to involve you in ‘It refuses to accept my life is a tragedy, while our final decision. So we put the options out on also acknowledging the grief of progressive meets tech social media and got an incredible response. impairment, and it ends on a note of joy, defiance, and resilience.’ artists who live, love and work at the cutting There’s a rare chance to see Euzhan Palcy’s work as we celebrate her Thanks to everyone who took part – from now New Suns and an ground-breaking career. on, each month we’ll be featuring a stunning edge of gender and digital technologies. And image from around the Centre on the cover. We accompanying film we celebrate computer visionary Ada Lovelace Although she won the Silver Lion at the Venice hope you think they’re as inspiring as we do! season reframe how we in Conceiving Ada, starring Tilda Swinton. Film Festival, directed Marlon Brando to an Oscar nomination, and created a rich and understand technology New Suns: A Feminist Literary Festival diverse range of brilliant dramas that explore and progress through a 5 Oct race and liberation across the world, Euzhan Contents See page 18 for details Palcy’s work remains neglected in the UK, and feminist lens. Read a full interview with Sarah Shin her films are rarely shown. Now at barbican.org.uk/newsuns New Suns features a book fair with stalls from Her feature debut, Sugar Cane Alley (1983), Highlights over 30 publishers, alongside a programme of Cyberfeminism on Film: Gender, was filmed in Palcy’s native Martinique, and What’s coming up this month 1–4 talks, workshops and events. Sexuality, Technology remains one of cinema’s great coming-of-age Cauldrons of Creativity 5–6 The festival explores the notion of technology 5-8 Oct films, about a mischievous orphan and his Cinema 7–8 and its place in a male-dominated history; looks See page 7 for details indomitable grandmother (the amazing at ideas of storytelling as a form of cultural Part of Life Rewired Darling Légitimus). Palcy subtly criticises French Contemporary Music 9–10 technology; and delves into current feminist colonial rule throughout. Theatre & Dance 11 debates on knowledge sharing, online activism The director’s 1989 drama A Dry White Art & Design 12 and bodily autonomy. Season, about the fall-out from a massacre Classical Music 13–14 ‘It’s vital that feminists continue to explore in Aparthied-era South Africa, stars Donald the relationship of technology and the body Sutherland and Brando, in his best late Soon because some bodies remain far more performance. Her documentary series Book now for these vulnerable than others despite "techno-utopian" Aimé Césaire: A Voice For History offers forthcoming events 15–16 hopes,’ says New Suns founder Sarah Shin. Listen privileged access to the Martinique poet, author and politician, who co-founded Always These themes are further explored through the négritude literature movement. associated season Cyberfeminism on Film: New Suns podcast Enjoy the Barbican These rare screenings of her films will be at any time of day 17–18 Gender, Sexuality, Technology, a cinema season curated by So Mayer that explores radical and accompanied by introductions and discussions feminist ways of thinking. Hear the Feminist Myth-Making panel talk by special guests. from last year’s New Suns festival featuring Among the films we’re showing is a programme Hidden Figures is a strand celebrating authors Maria Dahvana Headley (The Mere dedicated to lesbian filmmaker Barbara filmmakers who, despite directing ground- Wife), Sophie Mackintosh (The Water Cure) Hammer. Gendernauts: A Journey Through breaking films, are rarely seen in the UK. and Preti Taneja (We That Are Young). Shifting Identities sees New German Cinema Hidden Figures: Euzhan Palcy alumnus Monika Treut journey through late Subscribe to our Nothing Concrete 6–20 Oct 1990s San Francisco, meeting trans and intersex podcast on your podcast app. Jamie Hale's CRIPtic Pit Party covers poetry, hip hop and aerial performance © Becky Bailey See page 7 for details 1 barbican.org.uk October 2019 2 now now soon always Computer music Conversations about music and AI often focus on ideas of machines replacing composers. But what happens if musicians try to work with an AI – to see it as a collaborator rather than a threat? This is what electronic avant-garde has been criticised by some people who are ethical questions. As a music community we musician Holly Herndon set out to explore concerned about the dehumanisation of the haven’t even figured out how to deal with with her most recent album, PROTO. female voice, and issues around telling women sampling yet, and this will raise even more issues She and partner and collaborator Mat Dryhurst what to do because AI assistants such as Siri around what we value and who we value.’ worked with developer Jules LaPlace to create and Alexa are women. But I don’t feel the need So what’s it like creating music with an AI? ‘It’s an Artificial Intelligence called Spawn. They’ve to be tethered to the mistakes of corporate very different. Something unexpected with been training it, in collaboration with a vocal America. I just saw myself reflected in Spawn.’ Spawn is that she can be more frustrating to ensemble and collaborators including Jenna This response is typical of the well-considered work with than human performers, because with Sutela, Jlin, Lily Anna Haynes and Martine Syms. manner in which Herndon speaks. Fast- people there’s an immediacy – you can say “use As Herndon talks about Spawn there are paced but packed with references to writers more staccato” or “add dynamics here”. But some things that make you stop in your tracks, and academics, conversation with her is with Spawn it’s more time intensive and I have including describing it as a ‘baby’ (she is quick a fascinating lesson in current technology less control, even though I don’t like that word.’ to explain that they don’t see it as a human and the moral questions we’re struggling to For the Barbican performance, Herndon baby, but as an ‘inhuman intelligence’ that is tackle as a result of the pace of change. is hoping Spawn will be ready to perform still only two years old).

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