PERFORMANCES
SONIC MUD at The Center For New Jewish Culture
December 12, 2023
Brooklyn, NY
SONIC MUD | ABOVE GROUND album release performance with Julia Elsas, Kenny Wollesen, Kirk Knuffke, Madeleine Ventrice, Doug Wieselman, Rich Stein, Steven Bernstein and Éléonore Weill at the Center for New Jewish Culture. This performance celebrates the unique engagement between contemporary musicians and ancient mythologies of sound.
"New Jewish Culture Fellow Julia Elsas has spent the last nine years exploring the sonic potential of ceramic sculpture. During her time as a fellow, Elsas reimagined the Biblical musical instrument referred to as the “Ugav.” Contemporary interpretations of the Ugav describe it either as a reed or stringed instrument, while others interpret it as a pipe, end-blown flute, water organ, harp, or simply a love charm. Elsas brings the Ugav to life by creating playable sonic sculptures that are then activated by SONIC MUD, a band of professional musicians. SONIC MUD musicians play a range of ceramic flutes, drums, natural trumpets, shakers, clayrimbas, rain machines, water whistles and more, all hand-built by Elsas, with each performance a unique improvisation on the richly resonant and earthy sounds of clay.”
Photos by Weird Hours.
SONIC MUD at The Bo Bartlett Center
September 15, 2023
Columbus GA
Performance with Julia Elsas, Kenny Wollesen, Kirk Knuffke and Madeleine Ventrice at the at The Bo Bartlett Center for the opening reception of “Unstuck in Time: St. EOM, Pasaquan, Here, Now”, curated by The Fuel and Lumber Company.
"Unstuck in Time: St. EOM, Pasaquan, Here, Now" is an exhibition that showcases a diverse group of artists and artistic media. From painting to music and from sculpture to ceramics, the artists were carefully selected not only for their visual resonance with St. EOM's work but also for their shared vision, dedication to their craft, and belief in the power of art to transcend the present and open portals to new possibilities and worlds. The participating artists include Ryan Akers, David Onri Anderson, Merrilee Challiss, Julia Elsas, Erik Frydenborg, Leia Genis, Sonya Yong James, St. EOM, Robert Morgan, New Future City Radio (Damon Locks and Rob Mazurek), Sarah Peters, Sonic Mud (Julia Elsas, Kenny Wollesen, Kirk Knuffke, Madeleine Ventrice), and Sergio Suarez.
Photos by Amy Pleasant. Read about the exhibition and our performance in Salvation South.
SONIC MUD at Pasaquan
September 16, 2023
Buena Vista, GA
Performance with Julia Elsas, Kenny Wollesen, Kirk Knuffke and Madeleine Ventrice at the at Pasaquan for the opening reception of “Unstuck in Time: St. EOM, Pasaquan, Here, Now”, curated by The Fuel and Lumber Company.
"Unstuck in Time: St. EOM, Pasaquan, Here, Now" is an exhibition that showcases a diverse group of artists and artistic media. From painting to music and from sculpture to ceramics, the artists were carefully selected not only for their visual resonance with St. EOM's work but also for their shared vision, dedication to their craft, and belief in the power of art to transcend the present and open portals to new possibilities and worlds. The participating artists include Ryan Akers, David Onri Anderson, Merrilee Challiss, Julia Elsas, Erik Frydenborg, Leia Genis, Sonya Yong James, St. EOM, Robert Morgan, New Future City Radio (Damon Locks and Rob Mazurek), Sarah Peters, Sonic Mud (Julia Elsas, Kenny Wollesen, Kirk Knuffke, Madeleine Ventrice), and Sergio Suarez.
Read about the exhibition and our performance in Salvation South!
SONIC MUD at Jewish Museum of Maryland
March 26, 2023
15 Lloyd Street, Baltimore, MD
Live musical performance with Julia Elsas, Kenny Wollesen, Kirk Knuffke and Madeleine Ventrice-Knuffke at the at The Jewish Museum of Maryland for the opening reception of Material/Inheritance. Photos by Sid Keiser. Read an exhibition review in Hyperallergic.
SONIC MUD at Printed Matter \ St Marks
September 17, 2022
38 St Marks Place, New York City
Live musical performance at Printed Matter \ St Marks with Julia Elsas, Kenny Wollesen, Mike Irwin, Jessica Lurie and Pam Fleming in conjunction with the launch of artist Tammy Nguyen’s new book, O, published by Ugly Duckling Presse. All instruments were built by Julia except for the double vessel ceramic water whistle (pictured in the first and last performance image), built by Nat Scromov. In last performance image, the ceramic drum was built by Hernan Vargas and the large whistle was built by Carolina Segre. Those three instruments were purchased in July 2022 in Oaxaca City, Mexico at Espacio Comal.
SONIC MUD at Pratt Art Institute
September 20, 2021
The Chapel, Pratt Art Institute
200 Willoughby Ave, Brooklyn, NY
Live musical performance with Julia Elsas, Kenny Wollesen, Kirk Knuffke, Eleonore Weill and Jessica Lurie. Generously sponsored by the Performance and Performance Studies MFA Program.
SONIC MUD at Cooler Gallery
November 10, 2020
Cooler Gallery
22 Waverly Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
Live outdoor musical performance in conjunction with Julia’s solo show Chime Choir. Performers include Julia Elsas, Kenny Wollesen, Kirk Knuffke, Eleonore Weill and Katie Down.
SONIC MUD at Pratt Art Institute
March 2, 2020
The Chapel, Pratt Art Institute
200 Willoughby Ave, Brooklyn, NY
Live musical performance with Julia Elsas, Kenny Wollesen, Mike Irwin, Sae Hashimoto, and Aubrey Smith. Generously sponsored by the Performance and Performance Studies MFA Program and the Department of Humanities and Media Studies.
SONIC MUD at The New School
Women Between the Arts Series, created and curated by Luisa Muhr
February 15, 2020
Glassbox Theater at The New School
55 West 13th Street, NYC
Live musical performance with Julia Elsas, Kenny Wollesen, Kirk Knuffke, Sae Hashimoto, Jessica Lurie, and Aubrey Smith.
SONIC MUD at Relationships
October 27, 2019
920 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY
Live musical performance with Julia Elsas, Kenny Wollesen, Kirk Knuffke, and Mike Irwin.
SONIC MUD at the NARS Foundation
AUGUST 21, 2019
NARS FOUNDATION
201 46 Street, Brooklyn, NY
Live musical performance with Julia Elsas, Kenny Wollesen, Kirk Knuffke, and Mike Irwin.
SONIC MUD at the NARS Foundation takes place during, The Weight of the Temporary, an exhibition curated by Elisa Gutierrez.
Photos by Tara Kim.
SONIC MUD: UGAV NIGHTS
MARCH 28, 2019
BROOKLYN CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
For SONIC MUD: Ugav Nights, I reimagined a mysterious biblical instrument, the Ugav, through a series of ceramic sculptures. The Ugav is mentioned only four times in the Bible, including in the very first description of musical instruments (Genesis 4:21). Contemporary interpretations of the Ugav describe it either as a reed instrument or a stringed instrument. Possibilities include: pipe, bagpipe, end-blown flute, vertical flute, water organ, panpipe, lute, harp, viola da gamba, or simply, a love charm.
I consider my sonic sculptures to be fully realized when they are being played. I am grateful for the support of Rabbi Matt Green, The Brooklyn Jews, UJA - Federation of New York, The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, and the performers: Kenny Wollesen, Sae Hashimoto, Cyro Baptista, Dalius Naujo, Mike Irwin, and Rich Stein for making this event possible.
Adding to my Ugav sculptures, some of the musicians have brought their own instruments. Kenny Wollesen brings a selection of his original hand-built instruments or “Wollesonics.” Cyro Baptista plays ceramic instruments he has collected from around the world. And Rich Stein is playing his Hydra, a modular drum he invented in collaboration with ceramicist Walter Heath.
Ugav Nights photographs were taken by Valerie Trucchia and Meg Morehouse.
SONIC MUD at BKLYN CLAY
SEPTEMBER 8, 2018
BKLYN CLAY
SONIC MUD: BKLYN CLAY took place during the 2018 Brooklyn Clay Tour.
Brooklyn-based clay artists, Michele Quan, Britt Moseley, Clare Burson and Julia Elsas showcased ceramic sculptures that were played live by musicians Kenny Wollesen, Cyro Baptista, Rich Stein, Doug Wieselman, Clare Burson, and Britt Moseley.
Cyro Baptista and Doug Wieselman played ceramic instruments they have collected from around the world. Rich Stein played his Hydra, a modular drum he invented in collaboration with ceramicist Walter Heath.
Images below from L to R: SONIC MUD promotional poster by Jennifer Waverek; 7 Bells by Michele Quan; STP 1000: Synthesizer Teapot by Britt Moseley; Black Zither #1 and White Zither #2 by Clare Burson; Ceramic Shakers by Julia Elsas; Clayrimba Julia Elsas; Udu drums by Julia Elsas; Event photos by Julia Elsas and Laura Vogel.
WOLLESONICS & JULIA ELSAS AT FRINGE SALON
JUNE 7, 2017
Kenny Wollesen and Julia Elsas perform an ode to the CaJOMB: the love child of a Peruvian percussion instrument and a beauty salon.
WOLLESONICS & JULIA ELSAS: BASEMENT PERFORMANCES
FEBRUARY 6, 2016
THE DRAWING CENTER
In January and February of 2016 The Drawing Center presented Basement Performances, an event series curated by renowned composer and performer John Zorn. Six cutting edge multi-media performances brought together improvised music with expanded cinema and featured some of Downtown New York’s most adventurous musicians and visual artists including: Okkyung Lee and Andrew Lampert; Raha Raissnia and Panagiotis Mavridis; Bill Laswell; Kenny Wollesen and Julia Elsas (with Akemi Martin and Brian DePasquale); Ela Troyano and Uzi Parnes; and Ikue Mori.
JULIA ELSAS AND KENNY WOLLESON: LOVE CHILD
JULY 26, 2015
ORTEGA Y GASSET PROJECTS
Julia Elsas and Kenny Wollesen performed during the closing reception of Love Child, an exhibition curated by Eleanna Anagnos at Ortega y Gasset Projects.
KENNY WOLLESEN AND MARK FELDMAN
APRIL 17, 2015
GOWANUS STUDIO SPACE
Kenny Wollesen (on udu drum and drums) and Mark Feldman (on violin) performed at the opening reception of bite.spit.repeat., the 2014 Gowanus Studio Space Printmaking Residency exhibition.
