Programming
Anti-cool
Lone orchestra
Lone Orchestra is a medley of video, music, and performance. For anti-cool, the japanese artist, it is also a project combining multiple substitutions, sweet imitations, and intimate connections.
Performance cancelled
The Duchess Says performance has been cancelled for health reasons, anti-cool will present the work she has done in September with Duchess SaysLone Orchestra is a medley of video, music, and performance. For anti-cool, the japanese artist, it is also a project combining multiple substitutions, sweet imitations, and intimate connections. Intrusion would be the adjective used by some, but anti-cool describes immitation as a chance to learn, connect, and exchange. The artist creates a project in which she imitates a Montreal band, while attempting to master each individual band member’s instrument and style. The project will result in a sound track, a video, and a joint performance with the band.
On her arrival in Montreal at the beginning of September, anti-cool met the band Duchess Says and was quickly adopted by them. She has learnt the music and lyrics of a song, as well as the style and particularities of each individual band member. She has substituted herself for each band member in a video as well as in her new recording of their song “Ccut up » in which she plays all instrument parts and sings on all tracks.
Even though anti-cool learnt the koto (japanese harp) as a child, she does not consider herself to be a musician. With the help of A-Claude, Ismael, Phil, and Simon Says, anti-cool learnt to handle and play the notes of the song on each of the band members’ instruments. The artists sees this process as a learning experience, but also as an open-heartedness on Montreal, its musical community and its people.
Through her various substitution projects, anti-cool has had the privilege to be many different people : language teacher,waitress, news-paper salesman, itinerant. Through this process, she tries to target the boundaries surrounding individuals hoping to find ways to exceed them. She involves herself in a situation, in a person’s univers in order to expose the mechanisms, the relations, and the connections, to see and appreciate the citizen’s everyday life. In Duchess Says, she has found free-spirits and close collaborators. Together, the artists are preparing a special performance to be held on Thursday, October 2nd, during the Pop Montreal festival.
Thursday, October 2nd , 2008 at 7pm
Project realized with the intimate collaboration of Duchess Says.
Presented with the support of the Canada Arts Council Japan-Canada Funds and in collaboration with Vidéographe and Pop Montréal.
Anti-Cool (Tomoko Takahashi) is an interdisciplinary artist from Japan who works mainly in performance art. She has exhibited at Chapter Arts Center and Battersea Arts Center (both in the UK); RIAP 06 (International Performance Arts Festival) in Québec; the Singapore Art Museum; the Museum Quarter21 during the EU-Japan in Austria year ; CAFKA X (Contemporary Art Forum Kitchener & Area) in Kitchener, Ontario.
Duchess Says was created in late 2003 by four influent members of the Church of Budgerigars who decided to collaborate on a common musical project. Their goal : to ensure a faithful representation of the message of the Duchess (or spiritual budgie) through a precise artistic dialog. Consisting of A-Claude (vox, keytar, guitar, programming), Ismael (keyboard,guitar, programming), Phil (guitar, bass,feedback) and Simon Says (lo-fi beats, drums and doubtful noises). Duchess Says ladles out “moog rock” - songs basking in imagery served on a bed of intense live performance! Duchess Says’ mandate is to decontextualise rock and simultaneously promote their Church.
