Artist in Residence: Kamala Sankaram
From June through September 2023, Brooklyn Botanic Garden hosts Kamala Sankaram as artist in residence. Drawing inspiration from trees in our collection, tree care and caretakers, and the symbolism of trees as places of gathering, shelter, and culture, Sankaram is creating work to be presented in September.
Public Programs
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Don't Miss
Learning to Listen with Intention
Thursday, July 13, 2023 | 6–7 p.m.
BBG artist in residence Kamala Sankaram leads a series of guided exercises, rhythm games, and collaborative improvisation. Learn More about Learning to Listen with Intention
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Don't Miss
Community Soundscape Project
Tuesday, August 15, 2023 | 6–7 p.m.
Be part of a community art project at the Garden! Contribute a field recording (deadline: Sunday, August 13) then join BBG artist in residence Kamala Sankaram to create a soundscape of the community around the Garden. Learn More about Community Soundscape Project
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Don't Miss
Artist in Residence Performance
Saturday, September 30 & Sunday, October 1, 2023 | 2 p.m.
BBG artist in residence Kamala Sankaram presents work culminating her residency, inspired by the Garden’s 2023 theme, Power of Trees. Learn More about Artist in Residence Performance
Articles
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Kamala Sankaram Asks What We Mean By “Nature”
We spoke with artist in residence Kamala Sankaram about learning to listen and the blurry line between nature and ourselves. Read the interview
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Community Soundscape
Listen to a 38-minute soundscape created in a live collaboration between artist in residence Kamala Sankaram and Garden visitors. Listen to the soundscape
About the Artist
Known for her “inventive instrumental colors and tender, snappy vocal writing” (The New York Times) composer Kamala Sankaram moves freely between the worlds of experimental music and contemporary opera. Constantly pushing the limits of form, works include Singin’ Sing-in, an app and notation system for nonmusicians to compose and perform music together; The Last Stand, a 10-hour opera created for the trees of Prospect Park; Looking at You, a techno-noir featuring live datamining of the audience and a chorus of 25 singing tablet computers; all decisions will be made by consensus, one of the first live performances over Zoom; and The Parksville Murders, the world’s first virtual reality opera. Sankaram’s work has been performed across the U.S. and internationally including premieres at the Rotterdam O. Festival, Glimmerglass Festival, Washington National Opera, LA Opera, and Minnesota Opera, among others.
Also an accomplished performer, Sankaram has been hailed as “an impassioned soprano with blazing high notes” (Wall Street Journal). Notable collaborations include Anthony Braxton’s Theatre Improvisations, Trillium E, Trillium J, and GTM (Syntax) 2017; Meredith Monk’s Atlas with the LA Philharmonic, the Wooster Group’s LA DIDONE, and the PROTOTYPE Festival’s THUMBPRINT, among others.
Sankaram is the leader of Bombay Rickey, an operatic Bollywood surf ensemble whose accolades include two awards for Best Eclectic Album from the Independent Music Awards, the 2018 Mid-Atlantic touring grant, and appearances on WFMU and NPR. She holds a PhD from the New School and is currently a member of the composition faculties at the Mannes College of Music and SUNY Purchase.
Artist website: kamalasankaram.com
Support
Presenting Sponsor, Power of Trees
Art in the Garden is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
