From November 6, 2010 to February 4, 2010, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles is presenting a fascinating exhibit on Iannis Xenakis, composer and architect. Born in Romania in 1922, Xenakis became famous for his ability to bring together music, mathematics, and architecture. As part of his creative process, Xenakis would first illustrate his ideas on paper before translating them into pieces of music and works of architecture. For the first time in North America, more than 60 of these drawings will be exhibited to the public at MOCA. These include musical scores, conceptual drawings, and architectural sketches completed from 1953 to 1984. Visitors to the exhibit will have the opportunity to listen to excerpts of Xenakis’ musical compositions that correspond to particular works on display at the museum through iPods and listening stations.
Xenakis also had a very active political career. During the Second World War, he joined the National Communist Liberation front and participated in various protests and demonstrations. Later, he was also part of the armed resistance. While fighting against British tanks, Xenakis was hit by a shell which severely wounded his face, leaving it permanently scarred. In 1947, he received his degree from the National Technical University in Athens, and he went on to Paris, where he worked in the studio of the famous avant-garde architect, Le Corbusier.
For more information on Iannis Xenakis and the exhibit, visit www.moca.org.
To hear an excerpt from Xenakis’ 1972 composition, “Eridanos”, check out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWm5rx7nHcg&feature=related
Image courtesy of MOCA.org
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