The Lab, 2008 [courtesy of Max Lawrence]

September Open House, Open Studios

Join us as we open the studios of our three resident artists; Zeljko McMullen, Lary 7 and Maximillian Lawrence-- three multidisciplinary artists working in sound, light, installation and performance. The "Ensemble of Seven" perform semi-improvised experiments in our main gallery, featuring Lary 7 (double bass), Mia Theodokatus (harp), Masami Tomihisa (percussion), Michael Evans (percussion), and Patrick Holmes (clarinet).

Zeljko McMullen is a Brooklyn based artist who works primarily in Electronic music composition, video, installation and performance art. Through musical recordings, video ritual and live performance, McMullen attempts to explore the polarity between presence and absence, being and non-being, place and non-place, and the solid and the intangible.

Maximillian Lawrence has worked with print making, sculpture, sound installation and light installation. Through his use of unique materials such as; acrylic nails, synthetic hair, beading, wire and electrical circuits, Lawrence explores modern day societies' fascination with consumerism.

Lary 7 has been a major figure in the New York underground music scene since 1970. He is a co-founder of Plastickville Records and in the course of the past decades he has worked on exceptional musical projects with diverse artists, such as Jimi Tenor, Jarboe, Foetus, Tony Conrad, Alexander Hacke, Larry Mullins, Dorit Chrysler, Bernhard Gal, Jakob Kirkegard, Kent Montgomery, Michael Evans and Gordon Monahan.

Lary 7, A Tip of the Hat

Born in Buffalo, New York, Lary 7 is a multimedia alchemist who coaxes profane, inscrutable sounds and images from various mysterious devices. His work mainly features vintage and forgotten electronic instruments and technologies. In the past he has taken the unique approach of modifying household appliances in order to give them a musical voice. As an artist, he uses analogue equipment whenever possible, steering away from digital. Lary 7's work has been related to the uncertain outcomes of a magician or scientist determined to see his projects through to their (il)logical ends. He is a co-founder of Plastickville Records and has been a major figure in the New York experimental underground music scene since 1970. In the course of the past decades he has worked on exceptional musical projects with diverse artists, such as Jimi Tenor, Jarboe, Foetus, Tony Conrad, Alexander Hacke, Larry Mullins, Dorit Chrysler, Bernhard Gal, Jakob Kirkegard, Kent Montgomery, Michael Evans and Gordon Monahan. A Tip of the Hat (to the 20th Century) is his evolving laboratory of sound and curiosities here at the Clocktower.

Zeljkovision Tarot Parlor

Zeljko McMullen opens the doors of his installation, the Zeljkovision Tarot Parlor, dedicated to the contemplation of cosmic polarities. The video and music in McMullen's "parlor" are mandalas derived from recordings of live rituals invoking the 22 Major Arcana of the Tarot. His immersive experience also utilizes textiles, drawings, personal and religious memorabilia, and 400 lbs. of salt. Through the 27th, McMullen accepts appointments inside his space at the Clocktower for personal tarot readings, spiritual guidance, and meditative inebriation. To RSVP, email him at zeljko@shinkoyo.com. McMullen's work provides a release from the information saturation of present-day society, through projections from multiple sources which collide in one focal point, to create a new compound reality. "In my work, I utilize sounds and images to deconstruct the present space of the experiencer, replacing it with a perpetually shifting mythical architecture." McMullen dips in and out of every medium possible and creates musical recordings, video rituals, and performance pieces pertaining to metaphysical and philosophical archetypes.

Maximillian Lawrence

Maximillian Lawrence has worked with print making, sculpture, sound installation and light installation. Through his use of unique materials such as; acrylic nails, synthetic hair, beading, wire and electrical circuits, Lawrence explores modern day societies' fascination with consumerism. His work is a reflection on materialism and celebrity culture through a re-creation of American pop-icons. These studies of character provide the viewer with an insight into the complexities and contradictions within our society. Lawrence studied at Cornell University and Rhode Island School of Design where he gained a B.F.A. in Painting. He is one of the founders of Space 1026, an artist-run collective focusing on silk-screening, print-making, painting, audio/video production and graphic design, which is based in Philadelphia. He has also had solo shows at REload Gallery in Philadelphia, the SFMOMA Annex in San Francisco, and the DUMBO Arts Festival in Brooklyn, among many others both in the United States and Europe. In 2008 he served as symposium speaker and artist-in-residence at MTL Pop Montreal. He lives and works in Philadelphia.