SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18 | 8PM @ HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE
BURKE BAKER PLANETARIUM
BURKE BAKER PLANETARIUM
Our story of censorship continues with composer, multimedia artist and writer Paul D. Miller (aka DJ Spooky), whose work immerses audiences in a blend of genres, global culture, and environmental issues. Spanning multiple eras, Apollo delves into the history of “forbidden” theories in science and astronomy, from the trailblazing, norm-shattering discoveries of Copernicus to the present day warnings of climatologists and the relevancy of George Orwell’s 1984.
Commenting on the program, DJ Spooky remarks: “We live in an era of computational narratives - algorithms and machine learning create new forms of highly complex systems that engage our data driven society. Information is what makes our data driven society and allows us to understand or not understand what is going on around the world. Imagine how selective suppression of information, like the fact that major corporations knew climate change was happening far earlier than the general population, or the fact that libraries and archives are under siege in this highly partisan divided era. Books matter. Data matters. Access to information matters. George Orwell’s seminal novel 1984 is the ultra example of when societies plunge into a place of radical suppression of information. It is a cautionary tale of being “canceled” and was banned in many countries because of its deeply resonant content. DJ Spooky has worked with several approaches to data as an artform.
One piece presented this evening is based on Arctic Rhythms - an exploration of patterns in classical music and electronic music based on the climate crisis. The second piece is based on George Orwell’s classic novel 1984.”
*Please note there is limited seating for this event; planetarium capacity is 164.
Commenting on the program, DJ Spooky remarks: “We live in an era of computational narratives - algorithms and machine learning create new forms of highly complex systems that engage our data driven society. Information is what makes our data driven society and allows us to understand or not understand what is going on around the world. Imagine how selective suppression of information, like the fact that major corporations knew climate change was happening far earlier than the general population, or the fact that libraries and archives are under siege in this highly partisan divided era. Books matter. Data matters. Access to information matters. George Orwell’s seminal novel 1984 is the ultra example of when societies plunge into a place of radical suppression of information. It is a cautionary tale of being “canceled” and was banned in many countries because of its deeply resonant content. DJ Spooky has worked with several approaches to data as an artform.
One piece presented this evening is based on Arctic Rhythms - an exploration of patterns in classical music and electronic music based on the climate crisis. The second piece is based on George Orwell’s classic novel 1984.”
*Please note there is limited seating for this event; planetarium capacity is 164.
PROGRAM
DJ Spooky/Paul D. Miller
Commission for string quartet and electronics inspired by censorship in science.
VENUE INFO
HMNS AT HERMANN PARK
BURKE BAKER PLANETARIUM 5555 Hermann Park Dr. Houston,Texas 77030 PARKING: HMNS at Hermann Park has a parking garage attached directly to the building. Parking in the HMNS garage is a flat rate for the duration of your visit, and cannot be reserved in advance. (Museum members $10 Non-members $30) Additional free parking options include:
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about dj spooky
Paul D. Miller, aka DJ Spooky, is currently Artist in Residence at Yale University Center for Collaborative Arts and Media (2023-2024, extended). He is a composer, multimedia artist, and writer whose work engages audiences in a blend of genres, global culture, and environmental and social issues. Miller has collaborated with an array of recording artists, including Ryuichi Sakamoto, Metallica, Chuck D from Public Enemy, Steve Reich, and Yoko Ono amongst many others. His 2018 album, DJ Spooky Presents: Phantom Dancehall, debuted at #3 on Billboard Reggae.
His large-scale, multimedia performance pieces include “Rebirth of a Nation,” Terra Nova: Sinfonia Antarctica, commissioned by the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Seoul Counterpoint, written during his 2014 residency at Seoul Institute of the Arts. His multimedia project Sonic Web premiered at San Francisco’s Internet Archive in 2019. He was the inaugural artist-in-residency at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s The Met Reframed, 2012-2013.
In 2014, he was named National Geographic Emerging Explorer. He produced Pioneers of African American Cinema, a collection of the earliest films made by African American directors, released in 2015. Miller’s artwork has appeared in the Whitney Biennial, The Venice Biennial for Architecture, the Miami/Art Basel fair, and many other museums and galleries.
His books include the award-winning Rhythm Science, published by MIT Press in 2004; Sound Unbound, an anthology about digital music and media; The Book of Ice, a visual and acoustic portrait of the Antarctic, and; The Imaginary App, on how apps changed the world. His writing has been published by The Village Voice, The Source, and Artforum, and he was the first founding Executive Editor of Origin Magazine.
His large-scale, multimedia performance pieces include “Rebirth of a Nation,” Terra Nova: Sinfonia Antarctica, commissioned by the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Seoul Counterpoint, written during his 2014 residency at Seoul Institute of the Arts. His multimedia project Sonic Web premiered at San Francisco’s Internet Archive in 2019. He was the inaugural artist-in-residency at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s The Met Reframed, 2012-2013.
In 2014, he was named National Geographic Emerging Explorer. He produced Pioneers of African American Cinema, a collection of the earliest films made by African American directors, released in 2015. Miller’s artwork has appeared in the Whitney Biennial, The Venice Biennial for Architecture, the Miami/Art Basel fair, and many other museums and galleries.
His books include the award-winning Rhythm Science, published by MIT Press in 2004; Sound Unbound, an anthology about digital music and media; The Book of Ice, a visual and acoustic portrait of the Antarctic, and; The Imaginary App, on how apps changed the world. His writing has been published by The Village Voice, The Source, and Artforum, and he was the first founding Executive Editor of Origin Magazine.