„ECM – eine kulturelle Archäologie“ ist der Titel einer großen Ausstellung im Münchner Haus der Kunst, die sich von 23. November bis 10. Februar vor allem mit den Wurzeln des Labels im Jazz und in der improvisierten Musik beschäftigt. Kuratiert vom neuen Direktor des Museums, Okwui Enwezor und Markus Müller ist die Ausstellung angelegt wie ein sensorisches Feld, in dem fotografische, klangliche, filmische, typografische Formate und Installation vermischt sind. Diese Art der Präsentation würdigt den disziplin- und kulturübergreifenden Ansatz des Labels, in dem das vielschichtige Verhältnis von Klang und Bild ebenso seinen Platz findet wie Poesie und zeitgenössische Kunst.
“ECM – a Cultural Archaeology” is the title of a major exhibition at Munich’s Haus der Kunst, which runs from November 23 to February 10. Curated by the museum’s director Okwui Enwezor, together with Markus Müller, the exhibition focuses on, amongst other subjects, the origins of ECM and the label’s strong roots in jazz and improvisation. These are explored through photography and films including “See The Music”, director Theo Kotulla’s documentary with quintet performances by Marion Brown (alto saxophone), Leo Smith (trumpet and flugelhorn), Manfred Eicher (double bass), Thomas Stöwsand (cello, bassoon), and Fred Braceful (drums, percussion) in 1971. Other films include rare Norwegian footage of Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek, Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen in a performance documented immediately before the landmark 1974 recording of the “Belonging” album.
London-based film collective the Otolith Group pays tribute to Codona (Collin Walcott, Don Cherry, Nana Vasconcelos) with a piece commissioned by Haus der Kunst, entitled “New Light” (2012). Dorothy Darr’s film “Home” (2008) features Charles Lloyd and Billy Higgins making the innovative music for their innovative duo album, “Which Way Is East”. One of director Peter Greenaway’s early works was a portrait of Meredith Monk included in his film “Four American Composers”. The portrait is shown at Haus der Kunst, as is Meredith’s own film “Ellis Island”. The film “Sounds and Silence: Travels with Manfred Eicher” is also part of the exhibition. (In parallel with the Haus der Kunst events, a number of films which have influenced Eicher’s work, as well as films to which he has contributed as music producer, are being screened at Munich’s Werkstatt cinema during the exhibition period. Details of these will be published shortly).
The exhibition includes sound islands and listening posts where ECM music can be heard – including special anthologies compiled for the event by Manfred Eicher – as well as a spotlight on the label’s early graphic art directions with paintings, drawings and collages by Barbara Wojirsch and photography by Dieter Rehm. Session photography is represented with images by Roberto Masotti, Deborah Feingold, Ralph Quinke and others.
(and much more is going on there)