First durational museum exhibition of experimental music ensemble standing on the corner opens june 1

MoMA PS1 will debut the first durational museum presentation by musical ensemble #standingonthecorner (American, est. 2016), led by Gio Escobar
(b. 1995, New York). On view from June 1 through October 9, 2023, #standingonthecorner: Seven Prepared Pianos for the Seven African Powers brings together spiritual objects, modified instruments, and moving images. The centerpiece of the sonic, multimedia project is a large-scale installation consisting of seven pianos distinctly presented and prepared, with symbolic objects inserted into their strings to create apparitional interventions. The installation makes visible the inner workings of the pianos, as well as the artists’ intercession into the strings, through cameras installed inside of the instruments, with footage projected in real time. Bridging Standing on the Corner’s interest in the urban renditions of ancient devotional practices of the Caribbean and Africa, the project imagines how spiritual and natural forces intersect with and bewitch our objects and environment.

The installation will be activated during concerts at 7 p.m. on June 2 and 3 and September 8 and 9, 2023. These performances will harness the altered acoustics of each piano to summon the mysterious powers that possess them. Titled “Bembé Secreto,” the original composition incarnates powerful sonic interplays between African, Caribbean, and Western musical traditions. The concert, as well as the installation, connects Standing on the Corner’s interests in cultural and spiritual practices and forges connections between New York City, Puerto Rico, and African diasporic communities—reflecting Escobar’s own ancestral ties. Capacity for the concerts is limited and free tickets will be available at #momaps1.org.

Established in 2016, #standingonthecorner is led by #gioescobar. They have performed at MoMA PS1’s Warm Up music series in 2018 and venues such as the Serpentine, London; Bourse de Commerce–Pinault Collection, Paris; Blank Forms, New York; Performance Space New York, New York; and Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, New York. Their albums include Function OST (2021), Red Burns (2017), and #standingonthecorner (2016). They have collaborated with musicians such as Danny Brown (2021), Solange (2019), Earl Sweatshirt (2018), and MIKE (2018, 2017).