Having studied with the likes of George E. Lewis, Morton Feldman and Lukas Foss, all signs pointed towards a bright future for composer Julius Eastman. By 1980 he was performing his music all over Europe and the USA and was an integral part of the thriving Downtown scene in New York, where he recorded with Arthur Russell and Meredith Monk. But for all this promise, his self-destructive behaviour inevitably caught up with him. Only recently a selection of his work has been made available, including his trilogy Evil Nigger, Crazy Nigger & Gay Guerilla, which represents in so many ways the intense brilliance of this ‘forgotten minimalist’. The titles of the pieces exemplify the rebellious attitude of Eastman, as someone who has always struggled with identity, yet never without casting a new life; someone who has steadfastly eschewed compromise, yet giving rise to a body of work that continues to startle and engage.

The compositions for 4 pianos Crazy Nigger and Gay Guerilla will be performed by Frederik Croene, Bob Gilmore, Stéphane Ginsburgh, Reinier van Houdt.

A programme of KASK/HoGent in the framework of the research project ‘Figures of Dissent’ and the EU project ‘The Uses of Art – The Legacy of 1848 and 1989’ (confederation L’internationale), in conjunction with L'œil se noie, an exhibition of KIOSK with work by Eric Baudelaire & Mathieu Kleyebe Abonnenc (KIOSK, 05/04 – 15/06/2014).

In collaboration with Vooruit Arts Centre. Special thanks to JS Piano’s

tickets www.vooruit.be