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Science and Art come together as we appreciate the transformative power of fungi and celebrate more-than-human worlds.Tarun Nayar / Modern Biology is a viral ‘mushroom musician’ who creates soundscapes from the bioelectric changes in plants and mushrooms. He’s invited some of his favourite mycologists, ecologists, poets and musicians to celebrate the plant and fungal kingdoms and inspire hope and resilience.
Expect a short scientific talk, poetry and musical performances, culminating in a live plant and mushroom music experience by Modern Biology in which listeners are encouraged to ‘try on’ plant and fungal consciousness, and expand their awareness to these more-than-human worlds. Also expect great sound and some amazing projection mapping in this gorgeous and historic church.
About the artist:
Modern Biology makes music with the living world. Originally educated as a biologist, veteran musician Tarun Nayar brings his passion for nature and sound together in an ambient project that is organismic, immediate, uplifting, and deeply contextual. He uses modular synthesis, home built synthesizers and other analog equipment to improvise with the natural vibrations of a certain place and time - via plant bioelectricity, latent electromagnetic radiation, and even the earth’s resonant hum. Trained from childhood in Indian classical music, he uses the system of Indian raga to mold his musical choices for time of day and season. His performances are an effort to bring the listener into the present moment through vibration, space, and connection.
His work has been viewed over 200 million times and amassed him over 1.5 million followers on social media, has been featured by The Guardian, BBC, Genius, Vice, The Verge, LA Times and Times of India among others, and one of his ambient works opens the new album, Moonchild Era, by Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh. His recent albums have received editorial support on Spotify’s Music for Plants, Deep Listening, and Lava Lamp playlists. Recent performances include the Museum of Contemporary Art (LA), Art Basel (Miami), The Nobel Prize Museum (Stockholm) and the New York Botanical Garden.
Guest Artists:
Zekarias Musele Thompson (b. 1983, Washington, DC) is an experimental saxophonist and multidisciplinary artist based in Oakland, CA and Reykjavík, IS, working across sonic composition, performance, photography and painting. They are an instigator of the Musele Project, a sound and performance practice built on deep, empathic listening, and a co-founder of Working Name Studios, a collectively owned arts institution. They have performed or recorded with Terri Lyne Carrington, Gregory Porter, George E. Lewis, Anthony Davis and Greg Osby among others, and have presented work at the Museum of the African Diaspora, Gray Area, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and the Berkeley Art Museum. They hold an MFA from UC Berkeley and join Mushroom Church on saxophone and effects.
Sage Bava was raised on Odonata, a nature preserve and animal rescue in upstate New York, and has loved music and the natural world for as long as she can remember. Her debut album, In Whose Eyes, co-produced with Larry Klein and featuring jazz greats Christian McBride and Braxton Cook, among others, explores the healing power of nature within the human experience. Her book of poetry and prose, The Taste of Pomegranate Seeds, traces her own healing from derealization through reconnecting with nature. Having lived that healing firsthand, she creates work that invites listeners and readers to rediscover their own belonging in the natural world.
With early ties to the American Southwest and Canada's Pacific coast, Hannah Epperson first heard music and stories as a traveler between high mountain desert and ocean shores. Her music draws from a life of listening and play inspired by musicians and artists across a wide range of genres. She has worked in studio and on stage with artists such as Fleet Foxes, Dirty Projectors, Ry X, Julianna Barwick and Canadian spoken word artist Shane Koyczan. With violin, loop pedal, bass synth and voice, she weaves an uncanny connection with her audiences, taking listeners on exhilarating journeys.
Photography and video recording may take place during this event for documentation and promotional purposes. Attendance implies consent to be included in this content, which may be shared publicly. If you prefer not to appear in any images or footage, please speak with our team when you arrive.
Tickets are non-refundable.
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Event venue
Pasadena Presbyterian Church, 585 E Colorado Blvd,Pasadena, California, United States
Tickets
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