Willie Green: Press Play
Massey Klein Gallery is pleased to announce, Press Play, a musical and visual exhibition curated and produced by Willie Green. The exhibition will be on view from June 21st through August 24th.
Producer Willie Green’s latest project uses a unique software process that converts an image into sound, effectively allowing him to sample select artwork from the gallery’s roster of artists. After importing images of each painting, print, or drawing, visual qualities of the art are translated into complex audio waveforms that are then manipulated into distinct instrumental sounds, including drums, synths, and more. Armed with only these avant-garde tones, Green has composed an original album, Press Play, that has been directly created from each work of art and is also a sonic expression of his own interpretation of each piece.
During the exhibition, visitors to the gallery are encouraged to listen to each of the ten tracks composed in response to the artwork. Curation of the exhibition follows the album’s track development, starting with Song 1 in the front gallery. Near each painting, there are headphones installed to experience the musical compositions. Visual artists whose work is included in the exhibition are Giulia Dall’Olio, Michael Holman, Stephane Joannes, Martine Johanna, Garrett Klein, Matthew Larson, Wouter Nijland, and Laura Sallade.
Paul “Willie Green” Womack is a Brooklyn-based record producer and audio engineer, and a mainstay of the independent Hip-Hop scene. One of the sonic architects of the sub-genre known as “Art-Rap”, Green challenges conventions with his dense sonic landscapes, pounding drums, and innovative sampling techniques. A drummer from a young age and a graduate of Berklee College of Music, Green brings a diverse musical background including jazz, classical, and soul to the dusty looped world of Hip-Hop. As a member of the Audio Engineering Society, Green also strongly promotes audio education, serving as Hip-Hop and R&B Chair of the Convention Committee and a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Willie Green and Massey Klein Gallery would like to extend special thanks to each visual artist involved in Press Play and to AKG and Harman for their generous support in providing headphones for the exhibition.
