Marino Formenti
Marino Formenti is a pianist, performer, curator, composer, whose manifold musical itinerary seems to reveal a kind of restless need to discover; a quest that has led him to conceive radically new concert formats and art/music performances. His work, rooted in performance and exploration of contemporary music, has led him to constantly question the concept itself of the "contemporary". The central concern of his work seems to be to put music back at the centre of relationships: from long-duration to one-to-one performances, to intercultural exchanges, such as his recent work with Ethiopian musicians in Addis Ababa; from living and working within public housing to developing collaborative projects across different social and cultural contexts.
He has performed at some of the most important institutions worldwide, and his work has been described by the press as “revolutionary”, “visionary” and “mesmerizing”. The Los Angeles Times has hailed him as “a Glenn Gould for the 21st Century”, while ARTFORUM praised his “most cathartic work”.
TIME TO GATHER
TIME TO GATHER is a piano performance of a special kind: it doesn't have a predicted program, neither a predictable ending; and dismantles the usual, invisible "wall" that separates artist and audience. The individuals who compose the so called "audience" are invited to interact with the pianist (and with each other if they want so). They can bargain with the pianist - or with each other - and choose what to listen; if they want, they can play or sing with the pianist, or instead of him. They can sit alone or together, lay down, go out for a drink, and come back. In this special edition taking place at Sound of Stockholm, Marino inhabits Rönnells Antikvariat, the iconic bookshop with a small but significant stage for Stockholm’s experimental music community. It’s in this setting that Time to Gather becomes a moment to collectively compose the conditions of listening itself, and of performing for each other.
Marino Formenti
Video