Ari Benjamin Meyers – Always Rehearsing

05/07/24—20/10/24

Ari Benjamin Meyers originally trained as a composer and opera director, but for many years now he has been working at the intersection of visual art and music. He pushes the boundaries of both disciplines by rethinking the modalities of producing, performing and receiving contemporary music. Rather than prioritising perfection, mastery and uniqueness he keeps the process open, dismantles hierarchies and sets up equitable situations that focus on learning from and with each other.

The notion of rehearsing plays a very special role here: Ari Benjamin Meyers views a rehearsal as an instrument for investigating and shaping relationships, both between people and between people and the wider world.

In the exhibition at Kunsthalle Mainz entitled Always Rehearsing, visitors will now be able to see, sing, play and hear brand new and existing works by this American artist. What does “always rehearsing” mean and what effect does it have on us? These are all questions that run through the exhibition and the visitors are welcome to join in to actively create their own answers.

During the exhibition period, the Kunsthalle Mainz will become a place for users of the Zollhafen to meet, to get to know each other, and to exchange ideas. Together with the singing teacher Barbara Arneke, Ari Benjamin Meyers forms a choir and develops a new musical work with its members: THE NOTIONAL ANTHEM, NR. 1: THE ZOLLHAFEN CHOIR.

The exhibition is sponsored by the Ministry for Family Affairs, Women, Culture and Integration Rhineland-Palatinate, Karrié Bauunternehmung, Stiftung Flughafen Frankfurt/Mainz and Landeshauptstadt Mainz and Esther Shipper.

We would like to thank Schott Music Group, Volksbank Darmstadt Mainz, H2 Hotel Mainz, LBBW Baden-Württemberg, Rheinhessen Sparkasse and Rotary Club Mainz-Aurea Moguntia.

Booklet accompanying the exhibition (PDF)