Laurie Anderson’s Habeas Corpus installation & performance, Oct 3 - 2015. NYC
Laurie Anderson’s Habeas Corpus installation & performance.
It's a collaboration with Mohammed EL Gharani, a Saudi who was the youngest detainee at Gitmo, being sent there at age 14 for 8 yrs. He has been released, but is not allowed in the USA. So he appeared live via video hookup from West Africa, projected on a large white 3D sculpture modeled after the statue in the Lincoln Memorial.
The afternoon was an installation environment that had violinists & cellists roaming the cavernous starlit Park Ave Armory Drill Stage, as Lou Reed’s longtime guitar tech, Stewart Hurwood, created an evocative feedback drone using Reed’s multi-channel Feedback System of amps & guitars. Amazing to watch him manipulate that. Mohammed sat silently for periods (watching a live return video link of the Armory crowd), and occasionally spoke, telling parts of his story.
It was followed by an evening performance with Laurie beginning alongside his projection, playing violin, before moving to the stage to join Merrill Garbus and Shahzad Ismaily, as well as Hurwood and the feedback system. Thru all of it, Lou Reed’s sonic presence & influence filled the room.