Norton Wisdom
1:01pm | Famed artist and interpretive painter Norton Wisdom will be performing with the Neon Hunter Collective on Friday evening in front of the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association, as part of the monthly First Fridays event.
Norton Wisdom arose as an artist from the tumult of the late ’60s, when everyone was finding new ways of self-expression and connecting with others. Through a series of experiences, he discovered the power of painting as a subversive political act, one that called people to question their beliefs about what art is and its role in culture.
Much of his current work is ephemeral, taking place on stage with musicians as they perform. He works on an illuminated mylar surface, sort of like a huge light box. Images emerge, evolve and dissolve throughout the performance and, on a good night, his efforts come into alignment with those of the musicians and, together, their collective creation is greater than the sum of its parts.
His list of collaborators is impressive. He’s worked with with members of Jane’s Addiction, The Rolling Stones, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beck, the Grateful Dead and DJ Nobody, but he’s also deeply connected to the L.A. improv jazz scene, and specifically to famed guitarist Nels Cline. Cline and Wisdom performed together as Stained Radiance, and a documentary of their efforts was recently released to great critical acclaim.
The great thing about Wisdom, though, is that he’s a true egalitarian in that he brings his boundless energy and enthusiasm to collaborations with new and emerging artists, as well.
The Neon Hunter Collective includes David Witham, a pianist and composer whose recorded work is on the Cryptogrammophone label, and Matt Cohn, who is a journalist working for City Beat Magazine and performs as DJ Neon Hunter.
This interview is a bit less than 30 minutes long, and I think it will provide you with a sense of his character and charm.
Here’s a preview of the documentary Stained Radience:
The Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association is located at 4313 Atlantic Ave. just south of the Bixby Knolls Expo Center. Things kick off at 6:30 p.m. and continue until about 9:30 p.m.
More information about Norton Wisdom can be found at NortonWisdom.com.