Paul Beaudoin | icosa
Paul Beaudoin, icosa
Exhibition Dates: May 13 - June 14
Gallery Hours: Work activated from sunset to sunrise each day, 6:30 pm - 6:30 am
ICOSA Collective is proud to present a site specific, sound installation under the same namesake created by Paul Beaudoin.
"icosa" invites listeners on a captivating sonic odyssey, embarking from the serene landscapes of Estonia to the lively tapestry of Varanasi, India, signifying the outset of the immersive artist's residency at the esteemed Alice Boner Institute in 2023. By intricately weaving together field recordings that capture the vibrant yet ordered chaos of Varanasi, "icosa" unfolds into a mesmerizing long-form ambient composition. Through meticulous craftsmanship and enigmatic repetitions, the piece navigates the harmonious dance between contrasting worlds, mirroring the dynamic shift from tranquility to the bustling energy of Varanasi.
With each sonic layer, "icosa" invites listeners to delve into the depths of this sonic journey, offering a profound and immersive exploration of the aural experience.
Globally recognised interdisciplinary artist Paul Beaudoin (b. 1960) was born in Miami, Florida but spent most of his professional life in Boston, Massachusetts. He attended the prestigious New England Conservatory and Brandeis University where he earned a PhD in music theory and composition, laying the groundwork for his career. With an impressive tenure of over four decades in Boston he distinguished himself as a composer and accomplished educator. Yet, there was something missing in his vibrant life.
In 2015, Paul received a Fulbright Scholarship that brought him to Estonia. This experience reignited his inner creativity. Delving into new territories, Paul immersed himself in painting, experimental video art, and text. This period marked a radical shift in his artistic expression, spurred by reflections on his academic trajectory and a profound inner spiritual transformation.
Breaking away from the expectations of dissonant, angular compositions associated with an academic composer in New England, Paul's music underwent a metamorphosis. It transitioned into ethereal, slowly evolving soundscapes, residing in the worlds between ambient music and the extended drone compositions of visionaries like La Monte Young, Tony Conrad, and Eliane Radigue. This evolution in Paul's musical style mirrors his visual art, where gentle backgrounds serve as canvases for expressive gestural mark-making.
Today, Paul moves in wider circles where he shares his passion for creative expression. His music, paintings, theatre works, and video art has been seen in Japan, Brazil, the US, the United Kingdom, Finland, Estonia, Croatia, and India. Paul is just returning from an extended artists’ residency at the Alice Boner Institute in Varanasi, India, where his solo exhibition “who i talk to when you are not here” was enthusiastically received.