Transformative Reflections

nikolaj hess

This project investigates how Transformative Reflections can be developed as a range of methods and processes and how it can be used to create music based on and inspired by paintings. The project has worked with developing a method for translating from painting to composition and improvisation, and making inspiration from another artistic domain tangible. It also seeks to get closer to the artistic material and inspiration that to me seems to lie before the art expresses itself as a work, with an idea of what could be called a pre-art. Methodologically the project explores through four different method categories and an artwork dialogue perspective, both how to get closer to the intrinsic material and values in the reflected work, and to how the extrinsic expressions might translate to meaningful artworks in another domain, in this case music. Furthermore, it investigates the potential of new artistic hybrid art experiences based on the findings and examines the processes and considerations of these. The artistic purpose is through transformative reflections of painting to new works in improvisational and compositional contemporary music (jazz), to create a multidimensional, multisensory art experience space, where the individual work can be experienced both independently and in close communication with a work from another artistic domain.

P8 References and credits

References

Aagesen, Dorthe (2021). Unstructured Qualitative Interview March 8, 2021. Conducted by Nikolaj Hess

Albers, Josef (2013). Interaction of Color: 50th Anniversary Edition. Yale: Yale University Press

Anderskov, Jacob (2020). Action vs. Reaction KUV project. Copenhagen: Rhythmic Music Conservatory

Anderskov, Jacob (2022). Sonic Complexion KUV project. Copenhagen: Rhythmic Music Conservatory

Arnold, Kyle (2014). Behind the Mirror: Reflective Listening and its Tain in the Work of Carl Rogers. USA: American Psychological Association / Routledge

Bergson, Henri (1999). Duration and Simultaneity: Bergson and the Einsteinian Univers. London: Clinamen Press Ltd.

Bloom, Harold (1997). The Anxiety of Influence: A Theory of Poetry. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2nd edition

Borgen, Maj-Britt (2023). Peer Review. Copenhagen: Rhythmic Music Conservatory

Bruhn, Sieglin (2001). A Concert of Paintings: “Musical Ekphrasis” in the Twentieth Century, in Poetics Today(2001) 22 (3): 551–605. https://doi.org/10.1215/03335372-22-3-551

Clearwater, Bonnie (2007). The Rothko Book. UK: Tate Publishing; 1st edition.

Clyne, Anna (2021). Unstructured Qualitative Interview May 24, 2021. Conducted by Nikolaj Hess

Dozier, Ayanna (2022). Course on Contemporary Art: Subjecthood in Painting Today January 18 & 25, February 1. New York: Whitney Museum of American Art. https://whitney.org/events/course-on-contemporary-art-subjecthood-painting-today

Eriksen, Carsten Bo (2022). Unstructured Qualitative Interview Oct 17, 2022. Conducted by Nikolaj Hess

Evans, Bill (1966). The Universal Mind of Bill Evans. (VHS) US: Rhapsody Films

Feldman, Morton (1971). Rothko Chapel. https://www.laphil.com/musicdb/pieces/3120/rothko-chapel

Feldman, Morton (2004). Give My Regards to Eighth Street. London: Exact Change

Frisell, Bill (2018). Unstructured Qualitative Interview September 21, 2018. Conducted by Nikolaj Hess

Heidegger, Martin (2008). Being and Time. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics; Reprint edition

Jack, Olivia (2023). Pixelsynth. http://ojack.xyz/PIXELSYNTH/ 9/24 2023 10.15 pm

Jormin, Anders (2022). Unstructured Qualitative Interview November 5, 2022. Conducted by Nikolaj Hess

Kandinsky, Wassili (1977). Concerning the Spiritual in Art. Dover: Dover Publications

Kandinsky, Wassily (1979). From Point and Line to Plane. Dover: Dover Publications

Klee, Paul (1983). Pedagogical Sketchbook. London: Faber & Faber Limited

Klint, Hilma af (2018). Hilma af Klint: Paintings for the Future. New York: Guggenheim Museum Publications

Kruse, Bjørn (2016). Thinking art: an interdisciplinary approach to applied aesthetics. Oslo: Norges Musikkhøgskole

Kruse, Bjørn (2022). Unstructured Qualitative Interview October 27, 2022. Conducted by Nikolaj Hess

Løkkegaard, Niels Lyhne (2020). Music for The Inner Ear – KUV project. Copenhagen: Rhythmic Music Conservatory

Moran, Jason (2018). Unstructured Qualitative Interview August 29, 2018. Conducted by Nikolaj Hess

Marstrand, Christine (2018). Vejen mellem Elstir og Vinteuil : billedkunst og musik hos Marcel Proust. Denmark: Forlaget Multivers

Oliveros, Pauline (2022). Sonic Meditations. New York: PoPandMoM Publications.

R, Tal (2018). Unstructured Qualitative Interview August 22, 2018. Conducted by Nikolaj Hess

RMC (2019). SITRE – Artistic Research Quality Criteria and Peer Review Procedures. Copenhagen: Rhythmic Music Conservatory. https://rmc.dk/sites/default/files/inline-files/sitre_artistic_research_quality_criteria_for_peer_review_rmc.pdf . Downloaded 9/21, 2023, 7:40 PM

Robinson, Dylan (2020). Hungry Listening: Resonant Theory for Indigenous Sound Studies. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press

Scavenius, Bente (1990). At læse billeder. København: Borgen

Tekinoktay, Evren (2022). Unstructured Qualitative Interview October 22, 2022. Conducted by Nikolaj Hess

Temkin, Ann & Aagesen, Dorthe (2022). Matisse: The Red Studio – The adventures, mysteries and many lives of a Matisse masterpiece. New York: The Museum of Modern Art

Tepfer, Dan (2018) Unstructured Qualitative Interview April 4, 2018. Conducted by Nikolaj Hess

Tishman, Shari (2017). Slow Looking. New York: Routledge

Tøjner, Vibeke (2021). Unstructured Qualitative Interview February 7, 2021. Conducted by Nikolaj Hess

Unesco (2023). https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/310/ Downloaded 9/24 2023 9pm

Credits:

Audio recordings:

Transformative Reflections Red Studio Suite:

released May 23, 2023

Nikolaj Hess piano
Anders Christensen, Tony Scherr bass
Mikkel Hess, Kenny Wollesen drums
Marilyn Mazur percussion drums

All music by Nikolaj Hess

Produced by Nikolaj Hess

Recorded 2022 and 2023 at Acoustic Recording Brooklyn, New York by Peter Karl and at The Village Recording Vanløse, København by Thomas Vang

Edited and post-produced by Nikolaj Hess in Dumbo Studios New York and Champ Studios Frederiksberg

Mixed by August Wanngren in Studio NV Copenhagen and David Stoller and The Samurai Hotel LLC Queens New York 2022 and 2023

Mastered by August Wanngren, 2023

Released on Bandcamp:

https://nikolajhess.bandcamp.com/album/transformative-reflections-red-studio-suite

Transformative Reflections The Others:

released May 23, 2023

Nikolaj Hess piano, voice, keyboards, electronics
Anders Christensen bass
Mikkel Hess drums
Marilyn Mazur percussion drums

Tal R voice

All music by Nikolaj Hess

Produced by Nikolaj Hess

Recorded 2022 and 2023 The Village Recording Vanløse, København by Thomas Vang and at Dumbo Studios New York by Nikolaj Hess

Edited and post-produced by Nikolaj Hess in Dumbo Studios New York and Champ Studios Frederiksberg

Mixed by August Wanngren in Studio NV Copenhagen and David Stoller and The Samurai Hotel LLC Queens New York 2022 and 2023

Mastered by August Wanngren, 2023

Released on Bandcamp:

https://nikolajhess.bandcamp.com/album/transformative-reflections-the-others

Videos:

Found on P3 Music and Media

Transformative Reflections The Red Studio Live at MoMA 2022

1. Nikolaj Hess and Kris Davis double piano duo free improvisation & RedS revisited from new perspective

2. The Red Studio Concert MoMA

Recorded by MoMA, by Hunter Webb and Carson Parish

Transformative Reflections The Red Studio Live at SMK 2022 and 2023

1. Free Improvisation leading into RedS

2. Trees and postcard to Matisse Dear Henri

Video recorded by Andreas Johnsen

Audio recorded by Troels Bech and Nikolaj Hess

Transformative Reflections Beyond the Light Live at The Met 2023

1. Sortedam Reflections Tal R

Recorded by Andreas Johnsen and Nikolaj Hess

Transformative Reflections Beyond the Light Live at The Getty 2023

1. Dolmen and Past, Present and Future Contemplation

2. Limewood Tree Købke

3. Limewood Tree Købke preceding explanation

Recorded by Austin Donohue and The Getty Museum

Transformative Reflections Impressions of LA Ring Online Live Millfactory / Scandinavia House 2020

1. Transformative Reflections Impressions of LA Ring

Recorded at Millfactory Studio 2020 Audio and video recorded by Boe Larsen

Piano Nikolaj Hess

Bass Anders Christensen

Drums Mikkel Hess

Visuals by Andreas Johnsen

Thanks to

Rhythmic Music Conservatory

The Ministry of Culture

for funding the project

Thanks to:

American Friends of the Danish National Gallery - AFSMK

The Danish National Gallery - SMK

The Getty Museum

The Metropolitan Museum

Museum of Modern Art

Fuglsang Museum

Bruce Museum

Scandinavia House

New Nordic Museum

And everybody involved in the project.

Introduction - Method - Music and media - Reflections - Context - Events - Appendices - References

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