Artist Doug Aitken brings in the L.A. Phil, Natasha Lyonne and a mountain lion for fall’s biggest spectacle

As I delve into the captivating life and work of Doug Aitken, it is impossible not to be enthralled by his unique approach to art. Born and raised in California, Aitken has managed to capture the essence of the Golden State in a way that few artists have ever achieved. His ability to blur the lines between fiction and reality, as well as his knack for creating immersive, interactive experiences, sets him apart from his contemporaries.

As a cinema enthusiast, I found myself roaming the iconic mid-century abode of Richard Neutra under the veil of Silver Lake’s nightfall. Suddenly, an unexpected encounter occurred: a serene mountain lion purring nearby, and the room filled with the enchanting melodies of Philip Glass’ “Mad Rush,” seemingly emanating from a grand piano that appeared to play on its own.

It’s a scene from “Lightscape,” the latest hard-to-explain creation by Los Angeles artist Doug Aitken. The 65-minute film will premiere Saturday at Walt Disney Concert Hall with live accompaniment by the Los Angeles Master Chorale and members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic as part of the Noon to Midnight daylong festival of new music.

The event titled “Lightscape” transforms into an exhibition opening on December 17th at the Marciano Art Foundation located in L.A.’s Windsor Square district. Here, Aitken’s film will be expanded across seven screens and complemented with tangible artwork related to the movie. Singers and musicians will frequently perform live on Saturdays, engaging interactively with the film. Additionally, a third version of this project, in collaboration with IMAX, is being developed as well.

In a more lively and engaging phrase, the term “multidisciplinary” might be better replaced with “a vibrant kaleidoscope,” which vividly captures Aitken’s vision. This vibrant kaleidoscope blends striking, impressionistic, and frequently dreamlike depictions of everyday people traversing extraordinary California landscapes into a mesmerizing mix. It also weaves seemingly improvised melodies along with well-known minimalist classics by composers such as Glass, Steve Reich, and Terry Riley.

In one instance, a man navigates L.A.’s concreted highways, and multiple women on the streets harmoniously croon “freeway”. In another scenario, people in separate vehicles join voices from their cars parked at a drive-in theater lot, flickering their headlights at the illuminated screen – a symbol of their separation and location reflecting the current pandemic times.

At the Disney Hall concert, the identical members from the Master Chorale who were featured in the film will be present on stage, harmonizing their voices with those shown on screen. Given that this is Los Angeles, some famous faces make an appearance in the movie. Notable attendees include Natasha Lyonne (who might show up at the red carpet event) and Beck (who is part of the Marciano performance).

56-year-old Aitken is an enigmatic individual, difficult to fully comprehend. His eyes, as deep as the ocean and gray, and his striking white-blond, well-groomed hair, give him a resemblance to David Lynch’s kin. Much like Lynch, he carries a humble, friendly demeanor, always ready to laugh or offer a cup of tea. However, beneath this gentle exterior lies a swarming nest of vivid mental imagery.

As a native of Redondo Beach, I made my way to the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, and from there, it was off to New York City for an exciting start to my career. My creative journey encompassed sculpture, light installations, performance art, film, and various other media. My work has graced buildings, moving trains, and even floating barges as projections.

In the Showtime series “The Curse,” his Palm Springs residence, known as “Mirage,” was mentioned. The characters in the Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone production casually mentioned his name during their discussions. It wasn’t until his phone started buzzing with messages from friends that he found out they were talking about him.

“It was so weird,” Aitken said, laughing. “I realized I’m part of someone else’s fiction.”

However, Aitken’s work often incorporates multiple levels of surrealism, reflecting his fascination with the boundary where reality and fiction intertwine. He expressed this interest by stating, “I’m really drawn to that concept of where the line between truth and fabrication becomes indistinct.

More recently, he bought an antique home close to his studio in Mar Vista primarily to dismantle its components for his upcoming art creations. A while back, he also purchased an older transmission repair facility in the vicinity and transformed it into a workshop, where he and his modest crew produce his sculptures and paintings.

Over the course of numerous years, Aitken found himself immersed in music designed for his artworks, even pieces from his close friend Riley. He describes this process as being similar to a lizard evolving in the Galapagos Islands, stating, “Over time, I’ve essentially developed a color palette, so to speak, of what I seek.” Although he lacks formal musical training, Aitken claims to perceive music within his mind. In recent years, he began vocalizing words and phrases in his car during late hours, which were later sampled, looped, and rearranged to create compositions.

Through a shared connection, I was introduced to Grant Gershon, the artistic maestro of the Master Chorale. It was my idea to collaborate on crafting a captivating song cycle together.

Gershon mentioned that there were around ten to twelve individual pieces of paper, and each piece contained a single word or short phrase. One of them seemed to be ‘freeway,’ while another appeared to read something like, ‘A man once resided here / he is no longer here.’

Aitken caught Gershon off guard by asking if he could capture Gershon improvising. “He simply had me hum tunes or produce vocal sounds that might harmonize, contrast, or echo the lyrics and phrases,” Gershon explained. Later, other singers from the Master Chorale contributed, as Gershon put it, “constructing a cathedral brick by brick.” This was achieved through layering, combining, building, stacking, and occasionally removing.

Aitken explained that he envisioned it as an almost ethereal sound sculpture. His idea was to have between thirty and eighty vocalists scattered across various landscapes, with a message or phrase being shared among them, forming a series of concentric circles or geometric designs.

This went on for almost a year — and then the pandemic hit.

During a unique, tranquil period, the L.A. Philharmonic approached Aitken about commissioning a new work. He suggested creating a song cycle based on everyday words, integrating it with existing instrumental pieces, and combining these elements into an interactive film project. Thus, “Lightscape” came to life.

“This project has more moving parts than I’ve ever had,” he said.

Working with a minimal team, Aitken handling the camera, he captured spontaneous scenes featuring non-professionals, scouted out quirky and picturesque corners of their home region as filming locations, and orchestrated the participation of a coyote, a horse, and even a mountain lion for the production.

He described it as being akin to a six-month long, dreamlike state,” he explained, acknowledging influences from filmmakers like Robert Altman and John Cassavetes.

He asked Steinway to program a player piano to play “Mad Rush” in Glass’s aggressive style, while he also directed a moving camera to capture the reaction of the roaming big cat to the music.

Aitken remarked, with the same earnestness he exhibits in discussing all of his projects, “It appeared to have gently excavated the piece.” He added, “Quite soothing, in fact.

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2024-11-13 14:34