Raymond Salvatore Harmon
Raymond Salvatore Harmon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Raymond Salvatore Harmon April 7, 1974 Jackson, Michigan |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | experimental film, record production, painter, composer |
Raymond Salvatore Harmon (born April 7, 1974) is a media artist, painter, and filmmaker. As a graffiti artist Harmon has used the tags BETA (1994–2001) and RSH (2001–current). His street work has appeared in Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco, New York, Brooklyn, London, Berlin, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Zagreb among others.[1]
Biography
Born in Jackson, Michigan in 1974 Raymond Salvatore Harmon has lived widely throughout the US (New York – NY, Savannah – GA, Ann Arbor, Louisville – KY, Eugene – OR, among many other locations).[2]
Over the course of the past ten years Harmon has been developing and evolving the theoretical and practical applications of non object oriented art. Utilizing new media, web based content and interactive architecture in coordination with public performance, graffiti style ad bombing, and web based social engineering Harmon's work has carved out an over arching form of contemporary media insurgency.[1]
His work has been reviewed in numerous magazines/publications, including the LA Times, TimeOut London, Chicago Tribune, Signal to Noise, The Wire, New York Times, All About Jazz, Downbeat, Jazztimes, and Foxy Digitalis.
His work has been presented and screened at hundreds of festivals and galleries throughout the world including – The Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Unsound Festival – Krakow, Robert Beck Memorial Cinema, Copenhagen International Documentary Festival, Artist Television Access, Chicago Underground Film Festival, Cement Media Festival, Athens International Film Festival, RAW Tempel – Berlin, Axiom Theater, Northwest Film Forum, Ann Arbor Film Festival, and The Horse Hospital, London.[3][4]
Harmon's work as a painter references organic yet abstract forms, often very gestural in design. Harmon paints dominantly in the flat (on the ground) walking around the painting in order to remove the "this side up" perspective of painting. His graffiti based outdoor paintings are often very large and can span entire roadways, bridge underpasses and empty lots.
Harmon's film work is abstract, often accompanied by his own electronic compositions as well as those of his various collaborators. His recent works include spray paint based painting, full scale immersive video and sound environments, large format digital prints that are then hand manipulated and painted on, and live video performances.[5] Compared to experimental film maker Stan Brakhage and the painter Mark Rothko, Harmon's use of abstract imagery is more directly influenced by the works of Harry Smith (both as a filmmaker and archivist) and Nam June Paik.[6][7]
As a record producer Harmon has worked with highly acclaimed artists such as Chicago Underground Trio, Andrew Bird, Jim Baker, Josh Abrams, Rob Mazurek, Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre, as well as collaborated on projects with Alan Licht, David Grubbs, Wolfeyes, the Magik Markers, and Spires that in the Sunset Rise.[8] Additionally Harmon has performed improvised video with numerous musical groups from a diverse background including Exploding Star Orchestra,[9] Rob Mazurek, Blood on the Wall, Diplo, Wolf Parade, Chicago Underground Trio, Birth Refusal, Mandarin Movie, Dave Phillips, HATI, Mikrokolektyw, and Jason Forrest.
Timeline
On July 13th 2011 Harmon released his book "BOMB: A manifesto of art terrorism" via his website. [10]
In April 2011 Harmon presented "The Revelations of Maria Sabina" a ritual of light based around the work of Mexican curandera Maria Sabina at the Ambulante Festival in Oaxaca, Mexico.[11]
On November 2010 Harmon's film First Corruption screened as part of the Mediamorfosi festival in Portici, Italy.[12]
In November 2010 Harmon was a member of the jury for the Sound and Vision award of the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival.[13]
In October, 2010 Delmark Records released the feature length performance film Dew Point with the Polish band Mikrokolektyw - produced and directed by Harmon and including Harmon's abstract urban landscape film "Sound in Motion"[14]
On June 17, 2010 a program of Harmon's transcendental films titled "Dweller on the Threshold: 3 Films of Transcendence" screened at London's Barbican Centre as part of the Knowledge of the Hidden festival.[15]
In June 2010 Harmon was invited to create a 650-square-foot (60 m2) graffiti mural for Upfest in Bristol UK.[16]
On September 21, 2009 Harmon's video for Thom Yorke's "The Hollow Earth" was released. The film utilizes images of the street artist Banksy.[17] The video garnered heavy press attention (NME, SPIN, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, etc.) due to a press release stating erroneously that it was an 'official' video. YouTube pulled the video from distribution after 3 days (and 52,400 views) due to copyright claims by Yorke.
On June 13, 2009 Harmon premiered a new cinematic occult ritual "Liber Israfel" based on the work of the same name by Aleister Crowley. He was accompanied by Rob Mazurek in the role of Israfel performing on coronet.
In May 2009 Harmon premiered a new exhibition of his paintings at Secret Project Robot Gallery in Williamsburg Brooklyn NYC title "Dweller on the Threshold"
In 2009 Harmon created the Equinox Festival, a 3 day media arts fest dedicated to contemporary spiritual discovery and mystical tradition. The festival took place June 12–14 in London UK.
In January, 2009 PAJ published an article by Harmon titled "On the Nature of Light: The Cinematic Experience as Occult Ritual"
On November 11, 2008 Harmon premiered Hypnotic Brutality, a new music performance film with the American noise band Wolf Eyes, at the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival.[3]
In September, 2008 Harmon presented the first public performance of his transcendental film Sigils of the Heptameron.
On March 7, 2008 Harmon presented a 3 channel video performance of Aleister Crowleys Rites of Eleusis.[18][19]
In November–December 2007 Harmon toured and lectured in Europe, performing improvised video with Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra and the Chicago Underground Trio.
In December 2007 Harmon was invited by Prof. Ryszard W. Kluszczynski to lecture at the University of Lodz.
In April 2007 he celebrated the release of Chronicle, a feature length music performance of the Chicago Underground Trio. Which had its theatrical premiere at the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival in November.[4]
From October 2005 to October 2006 Harmon was the visiting Director of the DANK German Cultural Center in Chicago. His programs were featured in Timeout Chicago, Chicago Tribune, MetroMix, Chicago Reader, WGN TV, among others.
In October 2003 Harmon was invited to lecture at the University of Oregon and to present a new film piece commissioned for the occasion "The Three Stigmata of Marshal McLuhan"
In April 2002 Harmon launched the [Betasound online record label. Whose free online catalog contains works by artists such as Luc Ferrari, Derek Bailey, Noël Akchoté, Mats Gustafsson, David Grubbs, Frank Rosaly, Joe Daley Trio among many others.
In February 2001 Harmon was invited to be a guest of the Cement Media Festival in Eindhoven, Netherlands. He presented his large scale video installation Dreamlife of Sleeping Buildings at the Technical University of Eindhoven. This curated installation piece included video works by Brian Frye, Kenneth Eisenstein, Eve Heller, Sean Capone, Alexander Horn, Andrew Personnette, Suji Lee, and Randy Lee Sutherland.[20]
Exhibitions
| Title | Venue | Location | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dweller on the Threshold | Secret Project Robot Gallery | Brooklyn NY | May 2009 | [21] |
| Transcendental Territories | Inspire Fine Art | Chicago | Apr 2007 | |
| Isolated Instances | Heaven Gallery | Chicago, IL | Jul 2004 | |
| Isolated Instances | Open End Gallery | Chicago, IL | Feb 2004 | |
| Oneirographers Closet | Feitico Gallery | Chicago, IL | Aug 2001 | micro-installation exhibition |
| Dreamlife of Sleeping Buildings | Technical University Eindhoven | Eindhoven, Holland | Feb 2001 | video installation[20] |
| Subliminal Scores for Improvisational Spaces | Around the Coyote Festival | Chicago, IL | Sep 2000 | |
| Les Fantomes de Lumiere | Chicago Underground Film Festival | Chicago, IL | Aug 2000 | film improvisation |
| Sprayed On In Light | Outerpretation Media | Chicago, IL | Sep 1997 | interactive video performance |
Filmography
- The Revelations of Maria Sabina – 2010
- At Night's End – 2010
- Dew Point – 2010
- Sound in Motion – 2010
- Hadit – 2010
- Greyscape – 2010
- Sat Around for Peace – 2009
- Der Erlkönig – 2009
- Choronzon (Dweller on the Threshold) – 2009
- Language Virus – 2009
- Liber O vel Manus et Sagittae – 2009
- Colossal Portal – 2008
- First Corruption – 2008
- Hypnotic Brutality – 2008
- A Story Never Told – 2008
- Hecate's Moon – 2008
- Aleister Crowley's Rites of Eleusis – 2008
- Tactic – 2008
- Veves + Loas – 2007
- The Philosopher's Stone – 2008
- Sigils of the Heptameron – 2007
- Traces – 2007
- 11:11 – 2006
- Chronicle – 2006
- Cornerstone – 2006
- Secrets – 2006
- redlight – 2006
- Colorform – 2006
- Elevated – 2006
- Tree of Life/Tree of Knowledge – 2006
- Plexus Illuminata – 2005
- YHVH – 2005
- Reliquary of Light (for Mr Boyd Lynn) – 2004
- violetsummer – 2004
- Resistance – 2004
- The Three Stigmata of Marshall McLuhan – 2003
- Cloud of Unknowing – 2003
- Fireflies – 2003
- Daath – 2002
- ambientlight – 2002
- A Map of the City – 2001
- Six Ways Sideways – 2001
- Unfolding Urban Algorithms – 2001
- The Koan of Sisyphus – 2001
- Tiny Inconsistencies – 2001
- Les Fantomes de Lumiere – 2000
- staticerosion – 1999
- Sprayed On In Light – 1997
Lectures
| Title | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| On the Nature of Light: The Cinematic Experience as Occult Ritual | Secret Project Robot Gallery, Brooklyn NY | May 17, 2009 |
| Painted in Light: Experimental Film and the Advent of Improvised Cinema | University of Lodz, Poland | December 2007 |
| Painted in Light: Experimental Film and the Advent of Improvised Cinema | Goldsmiths University, London, UK | February 2008 [22] |
| Transcendental Cinema: Abstract Light and the Nature of Visual Meditation | New Nothing Cinema, San Francisco CA | July 2007 |
| An Empire of Signs Without Meaning: Marshall McLuhan and the Media Revolution | University of Oregon, Cultural Forum – Eugene, OR | October 2003 |
| Evolution vs. Revolution: Socio-communicative Developments Inside the Art Paradigm | Expressions School of New Media – Oakland, CA | June 2002 |
| Sublimate the Pretext: Delineation of Familiar Architectural Roles in our Environment | Cement Media Festival – Eindhoven, Holland | February 2001 |
| Implementing a Dialog: Proposal for Corporate Curatorial Program of Media Art | Royal Philips Laboratories, Eindhoven, Holland | August 2000 |
| Unpremeditated Appearance : Context and Content in Film Presentation | Around the Coyote Arts Festival – Chicago, IL | May 2000 |
| Deviational Iconography and the Blank Screen: A Search for the Pure Image | Carnagie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA | May 1999 |
| Cumulative Response: The Manifestation of Technology in Public Art | New School of Art, Marin, CA | October 1998 |
| Environmental Sound Design and the Virtual Installation | Jackson Community College, Jackson, MI | November 1997 |
| The Dynamics of Social Change: The De-evolution of Art in America | Olivet College, Olivet, MI | July 1993 |
Curation
Equinox Festival:A Festival of Scientific Illuminism (featuring John Zorn, Erik Davis, zev, Peter Christopherson, and many others)
(12–14 June 2009 Conway Hall & Camden Centre, London)
Converging Histories: New Media works by Miroslaw Rogala and Rob Mazurek
(05/10 – 06/04 2006 DANK Museum – Rough Space Gallery, Chicago)
Conquer the Sky: The Life of Ferdinand von Zeppelin
(07/07 – 08/04 2006 DANK Museum – Sharpenberg Gallery, Chicago)
Something's Out There – Harold Arts Residency (group show)
(09/25 – 10/10 2006 DANK Museum – Rough Space Gallery, Chicago)
Alternate Currents: Images By, For, and About Music
(Empty Bottle, Chicago : August – December 2005
Rob Mazurek (August)
John Olson (September)
Guillermo Gregorio (October)
Carly Ptak (December)
Subliminal Subversion: Highlights from the 2003 Chicago Underground Film Festival
(Select Media Festival – Gene Siskel Film Center, Chicago Nov 2003)
Album Production
Harmon has worked as a record producer for over a decade, primarily for the Delmark Records label.
Mikrokolektyw – Dew Point DVD (Delmark) – 2010
Mikrokolektyw – Revisit (Delmark) – 2010
Rob Mazurek Quintet – Sound Is (Delmark 586) – 2009
Bog – The Philosopher's Stone (Bewhiched 289) – 2008
Chicago Underground Trio – Chronicle (Delmark 578) – 2007
Jim Baker – More Questions than Answers (Delmark 562) – 2005
Kalaparusha and the Light – Morning Song (Delmark 553) – 2004
Josh Abrams Quartet – Cipher (Delmark 547) – 2003
Subliminal 3 – Decidedly Against Going (Bewhiched 258) – 2002
Kevin O'Donnells Quality Six – Control Freak (Delmark 511) – 2000
Kevin O'Donnells Quality Six – Heretic Blues (Delmark 521) – 1999
Ein Sof – When We Tried We Failed (Bewhiched 201) – 1999
References
- ^ a b Raymond Salvatore Harmon On the Nature of Light: The Cinematic Experience as Occult Ritual, PAJ: A Journal of Performance and Art, PAJ 91 (Volume 31, Number 1), January 2009, pp. 91–97
- ^ Raymond Salvatore Harmon PE3L Magazine Interview
- ^ a b Wolfeyes Hypnotic Brutality cphdox.dk
- ^ a b Chicago Underground Trio – Chronicle cphdox.dk
- ^ The Celluloid Bough: Interview with Raymond Salvatore Harmon. Celluloidbough.blogspot.com (2008-04-29). Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
- ^ Centre for Music Composition & Performance. Cmcp.gr. Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
- ^ Interview: Raymond Salvatore Harmon. Bad Lit (2009-03-02). Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
- ^ Interview with Raymond Salvatore Harmon, Pendu Magazine, Sept 22, 2008
- ^ Wroclaw Weekly Online » Exploding Star Orchestra Sextet. Wroclawweekly.pl (2007-11-29). Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
- ^ BOMB: A Manifesto of Art Terrorism
- ^ [1]
- ^ Mediamorfosi
- ^ CPH DOX Catalog
- ^ Delmark Records site
- ^ Barbican Knowledge of the Hidden site
- ^ Upfest artists
- ^ Radiohead's Thom Yorke brought together with Banksy for solo song video | News. Nme.Com. Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
- ^ Jack Sargeant, The Cinema of Illumination Fortean Times
- ^ The Horse Hospital: Raymond Salvatore Harmon
- ^ a b Cursor/21 English page. Web.tue.nl. Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
- ^ May 2009 Archives. FREEwilliamsburg. Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
- ^ [2] [dead link]
External links
- Official website
- BOMB: A manifesto of art terrorism
- Raymond Salvatore Harmon on Twitter
- Raymond Salvatore Harmon at IMDb
- Audio Interview with Raymond Salvatore Harmon along with free movie
- Review of Chronicle feature
- Review of Harmon's films
- FilmThreat review of Filmworks collection by David Finkelstein