birth, death from Wanderweg by Leilehua Lanzilotti

This work was written in honor of the exhibition of Isamu Noguchi’s two sculptures Birth (1934) and Death (1934) being displayed together in the same gallery for the first time. The two obsidian sound sculptures used in birth, death—Untitled (1978) & Sounding Stone (1981)—were created by Noguchi to be played as instruments.

Premiered February 5, 2017 at The Noguchi Museum. Many thanks to The Noguchi Museum’s incredible staff for facilitating rehearsals and access to these unique sculptures. Dedicated to Anne Grilk King.

Leilehua Lanzilotti (b. 1983) is a Kanaka Maoli composer, multimedia artist, curator, scholar, and educator. A "leading composer-performer" (New York Times), Lanzilotti’s work is characterized by expansive explorations of timbre. Lanzilotti’s practice explores radical indigenous contemporaneity, integrating community engagement into the heart of projects.

leilehualanzilotti.com
shakennotstuttered.com