The ambitious 28-year-old musician, composer, and visual artist Eli Keszler has an exciting month and road ahead of him. On June 5, he is releasing a two-CD compilation via Berlin-based PAN entitled Catching Net, and on June 7 he will perform alongside his newest installation piece, “L-Carrier,” at Eyebeam Art & Technology Center in New York City. The live event will be streaming at http://turbulence.org/works/l-carrier, and the installation will remain at Eyebeam through June 23.
Catching Net assembles selected old and new compositions that also can serve as stand-alone installations. It’s mostly centered around “Cold Pin,” which uses motorized arms to pluck, tap, and scrape against piano wires of varying lengths to produce percussive noise that is abrasive yet musically resonant.
Keszler’s largest installation to date, “L-Carrier” exists simultaneously as an installation, ensemble composition, score, and remote website. Piano wires are intertwined in a complex geometrical pattern reaching from gallery floor to ceiling, and the space is illuminated by the striking of wooden sounding boards (acting as amplifiers) by mechanical beaters. Aggressive beats plus sophisticated visuals make for an unordinary experience.