Crossing arid zones

Launch Pad is delighted to announce a new commission ‘Crossing arid zones’, a music performance by Franziska Lantz, to be presented at the home of Launch Pad founder Sarah Elson on Wednesday 21 June.

‘Expanding arid zones’ was presented by Supportico Lopez at Rodeo Gallery, London 2018, where over 40 suspended mobile assemblages comprised a sampling of Lantz’s discoveries made trawling the River Thames in search of disused, misplaced, and often obsolete items. Bones discarded by butchers in past centuries, bits of ship timber, coils of rope and rusted metal scrap hung alongside the limp deadweight of camouflage gear, which Lantz had spray painted, burned and torn, evoking strong signals of violence and destruction. Arranged in rough and urgent balances, the suspended mass of objects suggested human stories of life and death, war and waste, growth and decay. The dense installation suggested an enchanted forest, a sacred ceremonial site; hovering works were characters that passed by one another, mysterious messengers from the past or some sort of post apocalyptic future. The exhibition was reinforced by rough techno beats from Lantz’s forthcoming album “expanding arid zones” to be released on Global Warming Records, London.

Lantz’s performance for Launch Pad staged a musical Initiation and Activation Ceremony for three pieces that were selected from the above exhibition and have been installed, and thus freed, into Elson’s residence.