My First NYC SHARE: Collaborative Performance as Cultural Exchange

Posted By Morgan on September 13, 2009

On September 6th, I got to go and visit and jam at my first SHARE in New York City.

SHARE is basically an ‘open jam’ for anyone to come and play their sound/video/visual art with others. From their Facebook Page:

SHARE is first and foremost a platform to explore expression, in a variety of artforms. Through its openjam-styled sessions, SHARE engages its participants and spectators in a continually changing dialog on art and culture. As such, SHARE represents an ongoing exploration of collaborative performance as cultural exchange.

While each SHARE is different – there is one in Weisbaden (Germany), Montreal (Canada), San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose (California) and countless others – the approaches all tend to value openness and a space for people to play and learn. SHARE is a friendly, open global network.

I was also fortunate enough to meet (for the first time!) Keiko Uenishi. We’d been having email exchanges for a couple years while I was starting a SHARE in San Diego with my friends. Keiko (along with some of the other SHARE.NYC folks) were incredibly helpful in getting us up and running, offering advice and even visiting us to see how we operated.

This particular SHARE I attended was held at the Issue Project Room – a relatively new space in a converted can factory. They had a really nice 16 speaker surround sound system for projecting the sound as well as a two story high wall for projecting amazing visuals. Kieko had a pretty neat Wii controlled MAX/MSP patch that she was running. I had Ableton Live and a built-in microphone for my jamming. Below are a few more pictures from the night.

Can’t wait to jam again!

See and download the full gallery on posterous