Join us for 111, an endeavour to trace the shape of hope in an epoch of disintegration.

Each 111 event curated by Louis Carnell brings 3 live performances rooted in the expression of his collaborative record that shares the same name.

For the iteration at Nottingham Contemporary, Louis Carnell has invited Wu-Lu, Li Yilei, Juliana Day & Tom Harris.

Wu-Lu (aka Miles Romans-Hopcraft) has built a name for himself as one of the most interesting figures on the experimental hip-hop scene releasing several records on Warp (UK) with his revolutionary energy, intense rap and punk aesthetic. Formed by the multicultural energy and community spirit of South London, he makes noise to wake us all from our slumber and defies genre conventions with a vital mix of metal, screamo punk, dub and hip-hop, also taking inspirations from jazz, soul and beat poetry. Wu-Lu has performed on the prestigious show Later with Jools Holland, joined Blur on tour, and continues to present at festivals worldwide.

Louis Carnell is a musician, artist, and curator. Carnell’s work has deep in its heart a concern with both the physical and digital environments, and is currently releasing on Mute Records. With an extensive history in experimental music, Carnell's previous venture included performances globally (London Contemporary Music Festival, Rewire, South London Gallery) and contributions to the Tate and M Woods Museum. This vein continued with a contribution to Issue Project Room and a number of performances and curated events across Europe (Cafe Oto, Roter Salon, Casa Montjuic, Volumes).

Carnell’s music infuses ambient and drone electronics, choral rituals, the voice and song, creating work of condition and reflection, as he seeks to find light from an unguarded darkness. Carnell’s record ‘111’ emerged as a cycle of 15 single releases, with the aim of creating an environment for the listener to explore the series without hierarchy, questioning how and with whom we collaborate, and where we can find commonality and community. Within the ‘111’ environment Louis has also explored design, creating a performance table and ring collection. A combination of Carnell’s music and a meticulous focus on visual art has meant that he has collaborated with an array of influential visual artists such as Arcin Sagdic et al. Wu-Lu & Louis Carnell will debut their collaborative show at Nottingham Contemporary

Li Yilei is a Chinese artist and composer. With a background in fine art and sound art, Li’s body of work investigates alternative modes of listening, reflecting upon the tacitness and the transience of existential occurrences. Alongside the violin and piano, their sound-making process also includes tapes, theremin, a diverse range of string instruments, field recordings, contact microphones, synthesisers, as well as designing and making their own instruments. Li’s work often incorporates sound, found materials, movements, text, and experimental scores. Through their work, Li exemplifies serendipitous encounters between individuals and their environment, focusing on investigating the muted state, the unheard, and the voices of the disabled and the untrained. The overarching theme of tacit knowledge and disability stems from Li's relationship with the outside world as an individual with autism navigating sensory issues and selective mutism. This exploration of sound and its materiality is further expanded upon through sound, poetry and object music. Since 2017, Li has been actively engaged in composing for film, theatre and dance, releasing music records and performing internationally. Their application of sound evokes a sense of tranquillity and ambience, occasionally juxtaposed with more abrasive elements. Li’s work has been performed and showcased in venues like the Barbican Centre (UK), Lincoln Centre (US), The King’s Place (UK), Tai Kwun Contemporary (HK), ESEA Contemporary (UK), UCCA Contemporary (CN), EarTH Theatre (UK), MAO Torino (IT), OCAT Shenzhen (CN), Aranya Community Hall (CN), Cafe Oto (UK), Bristol Old Vic (UK) and more.

Juliana Day & Tom Harris are an experimental duo exploring sound, material, and improvisation. Their collaboration, 'Earth Bound', repurposes reclaimed steel plates as sonic resonators, transforming industrial remnants into instruments which hold a delicate sonic power. Emerging from long-term work with FTGU Studio, Tom and Juliana have developed this concept for live performances, using a combination of lower family recorders, whistles, vocals and electronics. At the heart of the project is the unpredictable interplay between human touch and the innate voice of the materials. Harmonics ripple across the steel, responding to the shifting tension, inviting listeners into a sound where boundaries between structure and improvisation dissolve.

Access:

Find information about getting here and our building access and facilities here.

This event will be held in the The Space.

Speakers will use microphones.

This event is wheelchair accessible.

If you have any questions around access or have specific access requirements we can accommodate, please get in touch with us by emailing info@nottinghamcontemporary.org or phoning 0115 948 9750.

Credits:

Visuals - Arcin Sagdic

Installation - NA Service