I find myself gravitating towards Carl Craig’s After/After-Party exhibition as my primary source of inspiration currently. I like that his source of inspiration comes from his own life as a DJ and he’s trying to portray the experience of the club from the perspective of a DJ, from start to finish. The site (location) of this current and previous iteration of the exhibition is also curated in that he chose to host them in cities not traditionally known for its warehouse club scene, to create that contrast which is core to his artistic message.
Party/After-party explores the idea of the collective (the audience) and its relationship with the DJ and the power dynamic between the two. From a technical and sonic perspective, he also talks about the way sound moves through a space and becomes dampened by the density of bodies and how that alters and ultimately contributes to the overall experience of the entire space.
I like the idea of playing with objects or humans in a field and offering slight nuances in the experience depending on how many participants are occupying the space at one time. I also like the idea of a time-based component that is independent of the audience. Lastly, the idea of collective transcendence at a higher, existential, philosophical plane that if incorporated correctly, would elevate the project.
