‘..a fine musician […] vibrant colours with plenty of virtuosity [..]An unexpected and arresting experience.’- Michael Church, Review, the Independent

‘I believe that Abraham’s potential to become a world leader in his field is clear [...] he has a powerful talent for engaging the public’-Marina Abramovic

“Abraham is really an astonishing musician – a highly talented multi-instrumentalist with a lovely voice and a deep curiosity about the world. It’s a real pleasure to present him.” Josephine Burton, Dash Arts

About

Abraham Brody creates unique multidimensional experiences for his audiences. Bringing together music, performance art, and multimedia, he pushes the boundaries between performer and public and challenges the traditional notions of a performer in the 21st century by uniting these three art forms into one cohesive whole.  For him, performance is a vehicle to transform himself and his audiences.

Drawing inspiration from the roots, rituals, and folklore of diverse backgrounds, he weaves them into performances combining his own compositions, improvisation, and multimedia works. 

He has collaborated with renowned performance artist Marina Abramovic, has travelled to far-eastern Siberia in search of shamans, and also creates the bulk of his solo works based on the folklore and music of his Lithuanian roots.

He has performed and shown his works in such places as the Barbican Centre London (month-long residency in 2015), The Public Theater New York, Tate Modern, Southbank Centre London, Pace Gallery, Fondation Beyeler Basel, Sziget Festival Budapest, Solyanka VPA Moscow, Vortex Jazz Club London, and Rich Mix London, among others.

‘He has a special power as a performer in that he has united both his skills as a classically-trained musician with the genre of performance art, creating a distinct way of performing that is entirely his own’- Jane Alison, Head of Visual Arts, Barbican Centre London

Photos by Oleg Skrinda, Brian McWilliams, Solveiga Serova

Projects

As part of his practise, Abraham Brody creates Performance and Multimedia works. The main area of his artistic research are rituals and their ability to raise our consciousness and awareness, thus bringing us into deeper contact with ourselves. Through the research and collaboration with ancient cultures, he creates contemporary works which aim to take us out of our daily 'autopilot' and into a higher awareness and meaning.

ONGON: Journey to Buryatia (2016)

In collaboration with Konstantin Guz

Long-durational 6 hour Performance and Video Installation

Premiered at Fabrika CCI Moscow, October 2016

In summer 2016 Abraham Brody and Konstantin Guz travelled to the Republic of Buryatia, Siberia, to research the rituals of Buryat shamans and the place of music and performance in the 'trance-state' of the shamans.

Videos taken from the artists travels in Buryatia, explore Brody’s introspective journey to take inspiration from the sacred rituals and places of Buryatia.

Brody , along with several assistants, will guide visitors through spaces and experiences which bring them into a deeper level of reflection and push the boundaries of self-awareness.

Powerful soundscapes using voice, violin, and drumming, allowing the visitor to enter a sound world that deepens their experience of the whole installation. Visitors are invited to remain in the space as long as possible.

The Buryat people of Southeastern Siberia have some of the most ancient traditions in the world. Shamans use the power of drums and songs to travel to other worlds and communicate with spirits.

Ongon, are the souls of one’s ancestors and spirits which inhabit sacred places in nature, such as mountains, trees, rivers, lakes. By speaking with the Ongon and, sometimes letting them take over their bodies, shamans heal people, resolve problems and seek blessings. The shamans drum and sing to call forth spirits and make offers of food, alcohol, and animal sacrifice.

Video:

Performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epdH_hb-G1o

Video Installation (password Ongon) 

Ancestors (2015)

Premiered Barbican Centre Art Gallery, July 2015

with Trys Keturiose, sutartine performers

4 & 6-hour long durational performance

In our modern society, many of us have lost our roots. Knocked off balance by the speed and immediacy of modern technology, we have lost touch with many of the traditions which both ground us and orientate us to the rhythms of life. In this long-durational performance, Abraham Brody draws from both folk music and pagan rituals of Baltic Culture, exploring the connection to his roots through ritual, gesture, and music. In Ancestors Part I Brody seeks to use long-durational performance to achieve a transformation of body and spirit over the four hours, reconnecting him with his ancestral DNA. Throughout the performance Brody will alternate between rituals stemming from Lithuanian paganism to performing his own music based on Lithuanian folksongs. In Ancestors Part II he will be joined by renowned Lithuanian folksinging ensemble Trys Keturiose who perform unique polyphonic 'sutartinės' (ancient ritual songs) alongside Abraham Brody. Through these ritual songs, the women call to the sun, bless the fields before harvest, and make offerings to the river.

For some of these rituals, the public will be invited to participate. The public is encouraged to remain in the space for as long as possible, so that they are able to fully experience the power of this transformation through ritual and music. 

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSpsotYZ8Ts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAJnNaAHk8k

Nourish (2015)

1 or 5-screen video installation and live performance

In collaboration with Mykolas Budraitis

This work seeks to explore the relationship of tradition, preservation, roots, and ritual to modern society.
‘Nourish’ hints at the clash of the transition to modern society in which we begin to lose our traditions, roots, cultural and ancestral grounding points. In the video installation, Abraham Brody reconnects to the tradition of his ancestors by performing the process of baking Lithuanian rye-bread. He prepares the baking of the bread and the baking itself through his own rituals and connection with the earth. Abraham Brody has created these rituals as an outsider longing for culture of his ancestors, lost through migration and displacement. The imagery in the film references many forgotten traditions and memories of tools used in the harvest and bread making process. (video available upon request)

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