Since the 1980s, the Japanese American artist Mineko Grimmer (b. 1949) has focused on issues of space, time, movement, and sound, creating what she refers to as “sound-producing kinetic sculptures.” She unites avant-garde approaches to acoustics in the tradition of John Cage and the conceptual principles of American Minimalism, seamlessly merging her training in Eastern and Western art practices to produce deeply meditative and sensorial works.
For her lecture, Grimmer will present several video clips demonstrating how her work has been used in collaborations with artists from various fields. The artist will also present excerpts from a Noh theater group doing their interpretation of a play by Yeats, and a violin solo performance composed for her work by John Cage.
This program is presented in conjunction with Contemporary Focus: Mineko Grimmer, on view May 31–July 14, 2019 in the Menil Collection main building. It is free and open to everyone.
