Christian Marclay

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Christian Marclay (born 1955) is a visual artist and musical composer based in New York, who is exploring the pattern languages connecting sound, photography, video, and film.

Marclay uses records and turntables in musical performances, and was one of the earliest and one of the most notable musicians to do so outside a hip hop context - he is "the most influential (turntable) figure outside hip hop." [1] Marclay sometimes manipulates or damages records to produce continuous loops and skips, and has said he generally prefers inexpensive used records purchased at thrift shops.

He has performed and recorded both solo and in collaboration with musicians such as John Zorn, William Hooker, Otomo Yoshihide, Butch Morris, members of Sonic Youth and others.

Thom Jurek writes "many intellectuals have made wild pronouncements about Marclay and his art — and it is art, make no mistake — writing all sorts of blather about how he strips the adult century bare by his cutting up of vinyl records and pasting them together with parts from other vinyl records, they never seem to mention that these sound collages of his are charming, very human, and quite often intentionally hilarious."[2]

Some of Marclay's musical pieces are carefully recorded and edited plunderphonics-style; he is also active in free improvisation. He was filmed performing a duo with erikM for the documentary Scratch. His scene didn't make the final cut, but is included on the DVD extras.

Marclay is a former lecturer of video collage and sound at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland where he conducted a summer workshop.

[edit] Exhibitions

Christian Marclay. 1999. Paula Cooper Gallery, New York.
Pictures at an Exhibition. 1997. Whitney Museum of American Art at Philip Morris, New York (brochure).
Arranged and Conducted. Kunsthaus, Zurich (catalogue).
Accompagnement Musical. 1995 Musée d'Art et d'Histoire, Geneva.
Christian Marclay. 1994. daadgalerie, Berlin, Germany; Fri-Art Centre d'art contemporain Kunsthalle, Fribourg (catalogue).
Christian Marclay. 1993. Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles.
The Wind Section. 1992. Galerie Jennifer Flay, Paris.
Christian Marclay. 1991. Interim Art, London.
Directions: Christian Marclay. 1990. Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. (brochure).
Christian Marclay. 1987. The Clocktower, P.S. 1 Museum, New York.