BAM hosting Never Records art installation with a working recording studio
New York-based conceptual artist and musician Ted Riederer, who used to play in ’90s-era Boston thrash/hardcore/ska band Thumper, is transforming BAM’s Rudin Family Gallery into a site-specific installation, Never Records, which will be up from January 15 – March 15. Exploring “the social significance of record shops, vinyl lathe cuts, and recording studios,” Never Records has been presented in Liverpool, Derry, London, Lisbon, New Orleans, Victoria (Texas), Kansas City, and Amman (Jordan) over the last 10 years, and includes a working recording studio which will be used during its two-month BAM run. Here’s more:
Never Records will convert The Rudin Family Gallery into a multi-use hub for creating connections and celebrating community through recorded sound. Throughout the exhibition community members and performers are invited to sign up for three-hour recording sessions during which they can record anything they choose—whether it be a song, a poem, a story, an instrumental work or any sound imaginable. During each session Riederer imparts what he calls the “transcendental science” of cutting a vinyl record, as well as leading participants on a mediation of the visualization of sound. At the close of each session, the performer leaves with a freshly cut vinyl record, along with a digital file, of their piece.
Each recording then goes into the stacks of the “record shop” where the public can experience both old and new Never Records recordings. Gallery visitors can also view the unique artwork in the shop which is designed to mimic a long-operating record store while watching performances being recorded and cut live.
The sign-up for recording sessions is currently full, unfortunately, but BAM encourages you to “view the exhibition and watch a recording session live.’ Recording sessions run 10 AM — 1 PM Wednesday—Sunday and 2—5 PM (Wed—Fri) The Never Records installation is free and open to the public. You can watch a video about Never Records below.
