Heidi…
…exploring the potential in what lies between live music and painting – Donegal-based French artist Heidi Nguyen and I are in the discovery stages of what promises to be a very exciting collaboration.
As an artist more interested in process than result, Heidi is curious to see if, and how, her response to live music might shape her work and approach. Even though Heidi isn’t making a conscious effort to listen and engage with me as she paints, we’ve discovered that her creative language is subtly informed by variations in the styles, sound-worlds and textures of the pieces I choose to perform.
Following some slow, long notes, and a bit of improvisation around the open string notes of G, D, A and E to get us both warmed up, watch Heidi’s response to my playing a movement of solo Bach in this YouTube video in our first session together.
Heidi is holding up the resulting painting in the image on the left.
Our second get-together was a weekend intensive thanks to the MAC in Belfast, and was a totally different experience for both of us. Violin, viola, painting, drawing - all 100% improvised, free-flowing and responding to each other in the moment.
Click here to watch Heidi navigating some caffeinated violin playing…and here for a calmer experience with the viola - just two examples from a really productive, varied and promising weekend.