Mark Southerland
2139 Summit 1st Floor
Kansas City, MO 64108
(816) 474-5477
markmalachy@hotmail.com
hornsculpture.com
Artist Biograghy
I am a jazz musician who makes horn sculptures. I have used the saxophone as a medium for exploring sound for over 26 years. My music runs the gamut of pop culture to Rahsaan Roland Kirk tributaries. I add visual layers to expand upon my performances: costumes, LED lights, wearable sculptures, props and backdrops.
My bastardized horns and costumes have been displayed as free standing sculptures at Urban Culture Projects and the Dolphin Gallery in Kansas City, the OSP in Boston, the Stray Show in Chicago. I recently produced two performances and had my horns displayed at Bridge Art Fair during Art Basel Miami. I have played experimental music locally, nationally, and throughout France and Germany with Malachy Papers. Snuff Jazz and Wee Snuff involve a constantly changing musical cast. I collaborate with visual artists (David Ford, Naoko Wowsugi, Peregrine Honig) and musicians (Eugene Chadbourne, Mike Dillon, Earl Harvin, Jimmy Carl Black) to produce events that push convention and familiarity.
Artist Statement
Music is about innovation and memory. Improvisation conveys things written music cannot. In traditional music, the repetition of a melody or rhythm becomes first familiar, and then memorable. In my performances, the visuals signal memories for my music. Improvising with costumes and wearable horn sculptures, not only changes the audiences perception but also the perception of the performer. Your eyes become your ears; originality becomes familiar. If music is a universal language, I am providing cue cards.
My performers often play a major role in documenting events. This makes the audience a pointedly passive part of the show. Integrated art elements and distorted roles give my musical performances an expanded sense of place. I use maximalism to elevate my improvisation.
Mark Southerland 2139 Summit St. 1st Floor Kansas City, MO 64108 (816)474-5477 markmalachy@hotmail.com hornsculpture.com Resume Integrated Performances/ Live Horn Sculptures 2010 Urban Noise Camp @ New Genre Festival, Living Arts Center, Tulsa OK 2010 Musical Director for Nick Cave Soundsuit Performance, KCAI 125th Gala 2009 Urban Noise Camp Magic Cave, Kemper Crossroads, KC MO 2009 Moon Bears and Sister wives in 3 parts, La Esquina, UCP Event , KC MO 2009 Wee Snuff the New Nomads, Avenue of the Arts, KC MO 2008 Wee Snuff/Urban Noise Camp, Charlotte St. Awards, Copaken , KC MO 2008 Preying Horns at Sunrise, Fahrenheit Gallery, Kansas City MO 2007 My Indian Beat Box, Bridge Art Fair, Art Basel Miami, Fl 2007 A Revisionist Jazz History w/Brad Cox Liberation Big Band, La Esquina KC 2007 Wee Snuff at David Ford's Maximon Performance, Jack the Pelican, BK NY 2007 Wee Snuff Jazz at Jamie Warren's Whoop de Doo, La Esquina, KC MO 2006 Malachy Papers at Telluride Jazz Festival, CO 2006 Simple Myth, Quixotic Dance Piece feat. Jennifer Owens, Kansas City MO 2006 Musique Action International Experimental Music Fest, Nancy, France Group Shows 2008 "Noise" feat Lucky Dragon, SiteLA, Los Angeles, CA 2008 Flat Files, H&R Block Art Space, Kansas City, MO 2007 Satellite Exhibitions, Bridge Art Fair, Art Basel, Miami FL 2005 "Conditions of Sound", The Boley Space, Urban Culture Projects, KC, MO 2004 Dolphin Gallery, Kansas City, MO 2004 "The Gun and Knife Show", Fahrenheit Gallery, Kansas City, MO 2004 "The Weight of Feathers", OSP Gallery, Boston, MA 2004 The Stray Show Art Fair, Chicago IL 2003 The Bank curated by Tom Gregg, Urban Culture Projects, Kansas City, MO 2003 The Stray Show Art Fair, Chicago IL Cited Awards 2009 Avenue of the Arts Grant Award for performance installation "Wee Snuff the New Nomads", Municipal Arts Council, KC MO 2009 Inspiration Grant for performance series "Art of Improvisation", Metropolitan Arts Council, KC MO 2008 Charlotte Street Generative Performing Artist Award, KC MO 2008 Creative Capital Artist Workshop, KC MO 2006 Tanne Award Boston Massachusetts Biography 2008 "Mark Southerland"s Horn Sculpture" Pete Dulin Present Magazine.com July 2007 "Adding Depth to Improvisation" Roger Atkinson Jam Magazine October 2007 "All That Snuff" Sarah Smarsh lawrence.com September 2006 “Mark Southerland Tanne Award” Mike Miller Review Magazine October Education UMKC Conservatory 1988-1992
