On June 3rd, the Frist opened a new exhibit entitled Light, Space, Surface: Works from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Within it, there are 50 works of sculpture, painting and immersive installations; the later of which often employs the manipulation of light to create a given piece. The announcement for the exhibit goes into great detail about the art on display but what really caught our ear was the fact that instead of a guided audio tour, attendees can pair their journey through the works with new compositions by the Nashville Ambient Ensemble.
The works provided on the audio tour are, more than likely, the second full-length album from the collective hopefully set for release later in the year. This exhibition. This explainer video features Michael Hix breaking down how the group approached the framework for their compositions; leaning more into digital sounds, some sampling, and embracing their collaborative approach. As Hix puts it, he “creates the frame of the house but it’s up to everyone else in the group to decorate the house and make it something beautiful.”
Listening to the preview in the video above, it’s clear that the Nashville Ambient Ensemble has created a second realm of immersion beyond the visual. As exhibitions of light often require a different headspace of appreciation than classical paintings or sculpture, their soundtrack frees up that mental area for really letting yourself go. Bonus; it’s a great way to get a small preview of more quality works from the group.
The Frist installation is up from June 3rd through September 4th. Don’t miss it.