exhibition
Morgan O'Hara, "Live Transmissions"

About the exhibition

MORGAN O'HARA
Live Transmissions

November 6 - 27, 1998
Reception: Friday, Nov. 6, 6-9pm
   7:30pm Live Transmissions Performance with Gene Carl, Composer & pianist from Den Haag, The Netherlands


The most immediate sign of life is movement. LIVE TRANSMISSION drawings render normally invisible movement patterns visible through seismograph-like drawings done in real time. The pulse of life is carefully observed and simultaneously tracked with two or more pencils. Recorded are the hand movements of people engaged in human activity. On occasion, other signs of life are also recorded: movement of leaves on a tree, movement of light reflections on water, movement of the incoming tide. LIFE TRANSMISSIONS fall into many categories, both individuals and groups of people at work: cooks, secretaries, butchers, shoemakers, mattress-makers, dancers, musicians (soloists, ensembles and conductors), poets, artists, lecturers, politicians, artisans, children, athletes, martial artists, etc.

Morgan O'Hara grew up in an international community in post-war Japan, She studies Buddhism, psychology, geography, languages, aikido, shiatsu and music. Her work falls naturally into two parts: TIME STUDIES, which she has done on a daily basis since 1971, and time-space work (LIVE TRANSMISSIONS, FORM & CONTENT, PORTRAITS FOR THE 21st CENTURY) which has resulted in many interdisciplinary collaborations. With strong links to the international jazz and new music scene, O'Hara lives and works in New York and Italy.