If you find yourself in New York (or you are one of the 8.5 million people who live there), you would be doing your brain a huge favor to check out the Iannis Xenakis exhibit at The Drawing Center in SOHO.
One of the pioneers of “computer music,” Xenakis was interested in the application of physics and mathematics to music. In addition, he was a Greek resistance warrior (really!) and an architect.
According to the press release:
Xenakis brought together architecture, sound, and advanced contemporary mathematics, moving away from traditional polyphony to create music comprised of masses of sound, shifting abstract aural gestures, linear permutation, and sonic pointillism.
Xenakis began with an obsession in the mathematics and physics of music; later in his career, he discovered that the mathematical methods that proved most aesthetically pleasing were so deeply ingrained in his mind that he no longer needed to do the math — this is precisely why he is considered a pioneer in music theory and technology. All the while, he was unrestricted in his creativity, allowing him to become a master of multimedia art.
This exhibition explores the architechtural drawings, graphic scores, and sketches of Xenakis and will be up until April 8, 2010.