Pennies from Heaven #13 // Ben Kudler

Pennies from Heaven, a collaboration between Control and Bánh Mì Verlag, is a new series focused on contemporary experimental culture with an emphasis on the liminal and the underrepresented.

From the artist:

"Sound artist and musician Ben Kudler’s (b. 1967) story began in the London Nightclub scene. This early period was labeled by critics and detractors as evocative of cryogenic freezing and ruptured stasis. Notable during this period is Kudler volunteering to be placed into cryotasis.

Starting in 1997, Kudler began fighting against opposing forces he found holding his work hostage. Re-emerging the same year, Kudler received a government grant to defeat these agents while collaborating with Vanessa Kensington, daughter of one of his sidekicks in the 1960s. Exploring institutions such as marriage, spying, and entertainment the duo launched a large scale piece in Las Vegas that same year.

After discovering the entrancing lure of the modern “fem-bot”, the duo embarked on their largest scale work yet. Infiltrating the headquarters of the famed Virtucon Company, the duo presented a strip-tease meditation on cyborgism and surveillance which made key use of the famed Nancy Sinatra song “These Boots Are Made For Walking”. The piece stunned and shocked audiences, including critic and theorists Alotta Fagina and Number 2.

The final scenes of this collaboration ended after the explosion of the underground lair, where the couple narrowly escaped. Never content to let aesthetic challenges sit idle, Kudler knew Dr.Evil would someday return, and with him, bring a new cast of hilarious characters. In subsequent years Kudler continues to challenge and radically alter notions of Fat Bastard, Gold Member, and MiniMe. Kudler is bound to have you screaming “Yaaa Babbbyyy” as you leave the theatre.

Kudler has released music on a few tape and CD-R labels, among them, Unifactor, Salon and Bahn Mi Verlag. Kudler has had multiple promises of an LP broken by John Elliott of Spectrum Spools and Mineral Disk. For those who dig jams without tune or measure.

Benji will present a new Piece For Channa Horwitz (Sonakinatography I Movement #III) In Four Parts."

Please note that seating is limited. After 7pm, reserved tickets may be distributed to standbys. Performance will promptly start at 7:15; once the performance begins no entry will be permitted. Do not be late. Suggested donation is on a sliding scale from $7 - $15.