Tom Morgan

SPRING

For the project Hong Kong Solos by Ari Benjamin Meyers that Spring produced for An exposition, not an exhibition (2017), Meyers invited 6 composers to create brief, jewel-like works to be performed live: Shane Aspegren, Steve Hui, Charles Kwong, Lam Lai, Vanissa Law, and GayBird Leung. These solos are then performed by staff members at six arts organizations across the city: Michelle Wong at Asia Art Archive, Samantha Kwok at Hong Kong Arts Centre, Tom Morgan at M+, Olivia Chow at Para Site, Alice Wong at soundpocket, and Chantal Wong at Things that can happen.

In parallel to his career in museums copyright management practice Tom Morgan, born 1961, is a classically trained pianist. Originally from London, he was recruited to M+ and now lives and works in Hong Kong. Best known, musically, for his contribution to Grammy-nominated album ‘People Gonna Talk’ (James Hunter, 2006), he has been playing jazz and improvised music since his teens. For more than a decade, he was the featured pianist in bands led by jazz drumming legend Clifford Jarvis as well as in 10-piece swing/blues band Blue Harlem, and recorded with Acid Jazz/funk outfit Double Vision, exploring the tools of form and structure in a wide variety of situations. However, the collaboration with Shane Aspegren will be the first time he has co-created music at his office desk.

TypeComposer / Musician

A PART OF
AN EXPOSITION, NOT AN EXHIBITION

An exposition, not an exhibition was developed during Ari Benjamin Meyers’ two residencies at Spring Workshop in the summer and fall of 2016, and stems from his ongoing research into the essence of live musical performance and the questions surrounding its protocols for audiences, performers and institutions.

The Kunsthalle for Music is commissioned by Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art (Rotterdam) together with Spring Workshop (Hong Kong) and will make additional appearances at locations to be announced. An exposition, not an exhibition at Spring Workshop (March 2017) unfolds the Kunsthalle’s foundational themes, and will be followed by a congress at Witte de With (May 2017), then punctuated by an inaugural take-over, featuring a series of new commissions also at Witte de With (January 2018).

www.kunsthalleformusic.org