Music
For Percussion Perhaps, Or… (night)
by James Tenney
Performance
realized by Stephanie Cheng Smith
with Liam Mooney
Mail Art
Night
by Simone Forti
about the art
To celebrate summer, we’re sharing this month’s art pairing free to anyone who wants it! For Summer Perhaps, Or features mail art by Simone Forti paired with Stephanie Cheng Smith’s realization of James Tenny’s For Percussion Perhaps, Or… (night).
Night holds the paradox of being both a time of intimacy and an unknowable expanse of darkness - both small and vast. Stephanie Cheng Smith’s interpretation of James Tenney’s postal piece, For Percussion Perhaps, Or… (night), sets a table with everyday objects—bowls and marbles—then sends them into motion to build a celestial sonic world.
This month’s art print postcard is by movement and dance pioneer Simone Forti, who was good friends with James Tenney. Simone created her work Night while listening to Stephanie’s performance. Having only heard the audio, Simone was delighted by how uncannily her mail art echoed the film: “How beautiful, the video. And what could have guided me to match the blue grape design on the white cups? “ –Simone Forti