Invisible is a collaborative sound ensemble performing with my invented electromechanical sound machines, video, text, found objects, conventional instrumentation, and ancillary shenanigans. Videos below may help you sort out that sentence.
Invisible has been the collaboration of many since 2007, most consistently Bart Trotman and Jonathan Henderson, as well as important work with Jodi Staley, Dan Kaufman and Mark Engebretson.
Selectric Piano
A piano controlled by a typewriter. Each letter typed results in a note played. This explainer video gives the details.
Rhythm 1001
Putting the machine in drum machine, Rhythm 1001 is a sprawling electromechanical percussion device centered on a large turning wheel programmed with bamboo pegs. This is an explainer video.
Elsewhere’s Roof
This is the portable version of the prodigiously musical leaking roof we encountered during Invisible’s residency at Elsewhere. Drops of water falling from lab glass into mason jars trigger mechanical percussion devices. This video is from a Moogfest performance of Invisible’s “The New Obsolete.”
Singer/
Songwriter
This mechanical percussion device was made from a 100 year old tredle powered singer sewing machine during Invisible’s residency at Elsewhere. Sewing machine functionality was maintained for recording purposes.
Paint Mixer
This cassette deck mixer was made from parts of a paint pigment dispenser. It was made for and used in one performance.
War of the Ants
This video, produced by Invisible co-founder Bart Trotman, features Rhythm 1001, vast cassette archives, and bold moves.
Invisible celebrates John Cage’s 100th.
This performance occurred on Cage’s birthday for an audience of high school students during a teaching residency.
Sinus Sufferer
This “video object” was displayed on CRT monitors in the live performance of Invisible’s “War of the Ants”
Type-Setting
Full performance title: “Type-setting: Excerpts from The Making of Americans by Gertrude Stein -or- Americans Making Posthumous and Invisible Collaboration." Piece features Mark Engebretson on the Selectric Piano and Mark Dixon on Rhythm 1001. Performance for UMass Amherst Mutual Mentoring Group series "Making Mischief: Performance Against Limits."
New is MagIc
New Is MagIc was the coda of Invisible's "The New Obsolete" performance. The piece features the Selectric Piano accompanied by conventional instruments. Performed by Invisible: Jodi Staley on Selectric Piano, Jonathan Henderson, Bart Trotman and Mark Dixon.
X-Tra Anatomy
This is a document combining four “video objects” that were displayed on CRT monitors as part of the composition X-Tra Anatomy in the performance “The New Obsolete.” In the performance the images were ultimately overlaid with x-ray films, placing each within a part of the medicalized body.