At first glance, art museums and concerts seem to have little in common.
One is designed to captivate our eyes and give us room to stroll around -- often silently -- analyzing objects created by talented artists. The other draws people into a designated space and focuses on what the ears perceive through a variety of instruments. With these fundamental differences, it's easy to forget that artists often influence each other.
So, what happens when these two seemingly different worlds collide?
Present Music and the Milwaukee Art Museum attempt to find out on Saturday, Jan. 12 with "Art, Architecture & Music." Labeled a gallery night for the eyes and ears, "Art, Architecture & Music" brings together a night of juxtapositions: audio and visual, old and new.
Eric Lind, managing director of Present Music, says, "I think it will be interesting for people to see the crossover between the visual art and the music. We are approaching art more experientially rather than academically. We want people to have a fun experience."
The night kicks off at 6 p.m. with a display of the "New Milwaukee" in artwork by local artists, art students, and architects attempting to highlight Milwaukee's continued development. The galleries will also be open for a chance to see the concert-inspiring artwork before the music begins.
The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. in Windhover Hall. Randall Woolf and the Present Music ensemble create a montage of music and images of well-known women in the art world with Woolf's piece, "Women at an Exhibition." The ensemble will perfom "In White," a Kamran Ince piece inspired by Muslim architecture.
Finally, there will be a world premiere of Alex Mincek's portrait-driven piece, "Portraits and Repetitions." Mincek was commissioned by Present Music to create a piece for the night. "Portraits and Repetitions" features several visual artists whose works are part of the MAM collection.
A discussion precedes the concert at 6:45 p.m. and anyone interested can put questions to Mincek or MAM curator Joe Ketner.
The concert continues by splitting the audience into three groups for a "round robin" musical tour of three different galleries. The musical tour is a first-ever for the MAM galleries and focuses on the interconnectedness of the night's three elements: art, architecture, and music. Minimalist and abstract expressionist artwork, and a 20th century experimental film are given an auditory presence as Present Music accompanies the audience's tour of the artwork.
An after party will follow the tours with a runway show by Fashion Ninja and a remix of the concert and images by award winning DJs, DonebestDone. Audience members will also have free admission to the Martin Ramirez exhibition.
OnMilwaukee.com readers can get special $10 tickets if they call in and use OnMilwaukee.com as their password. Tickets can be purchased at the door or ordered online at presentmusic.org or by calling (414) 271-0711.
If you plan to buy tickets at the door, come early because space is limited. Ticket prices are $16, $27 and $37, depending on seating in Windhover Hall. Student tickets are $8 and $13.
