SARASOTA, FLA.- This summer the John and Mable Ringling Museum will present VOLUMES, an immersive audio-visual installation by contemporary artist Ezra Masch. The piece uses live sound from a drum set to activate lights in a site-specific, 3-dimensional grid. Velocity and pitch determine the amount of light that will fill the Monda Gallery for Contemporary Art. The work gives percussionists the opportunity to improvise and compose with light and space.

The Ringling has put out an open call to drummers wishing to play the piece throughout its run. More than 50 musicians from the local community and beyond will participate, experimenting with the visual patterns and forms generated in the lights as they play.

In addition to these daily performances, there will be eight ticketed shows featuring musicians that have been curated by Masch. The first of these on Thursday, August 16, is with Greg Fox. Fox is a multi-instrumentalist, interdisciplinary artist and teacher born based in New York City. A versatile and prolific creative, Fox studied percussion with Guy Licata, Thurman Barker and Marvin “Bugalu” Smith. He has a Bachelor of Art in integrated arts from Bard College, and has toured, recorded and released numerous records with Liturgy, Guardian Alien, Skeletons, Dan Deacon, Colin Stetson, Ben Frost and many more.

Later in the month Brian Blade will perform in the space. Blade is a composer, bandleader and drum virtuoso who has toured and collaborated with musicians such as Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Chick Corea. He also leads The Brian Blade Fellowship Band and Mama Rosa. Known as a dynamic performer with the ability to compliment a wide range of different styles, Blade’s music encompasses multiple genres and creative sensibilities.

“I like bringing other people into my work as either participants or collaborators because it adds an element of chance. In this case, the drummers will be contributing creatively to the project. I have no idea what’s going to happen and that’s one of the things that makes it so exciting,” said Ezra Masch.

A multi-disciplinary artist and musician, Ezra Masch is no stranger to collaboration. His projects in sculpture, installation and video often involve immersive audio-visual experiences that are generated by participants and volunteers. His work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions at The Mattress Factory Museum (Pittsburgh, PA), The Icebox Project Space (Philadelphia), The Philadelphia Museum of Art, TSA NY, Tiger Strikes Asteroid (Philadelphia), MASS Gallery (Austin, TX) and Galleria L’Acquario (Rome). He has a Bachelor of Fine Art in sculpture from The Rhode Island School of Design (2004) and an MFA in Studio Art from The University of Texas (2012). He also attended the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in 2011.

“Working with artists like Ezra Masch to bring genre bending works to The Ringling truly encompasses The Art of Our Time initiative,” said Steven High, executive director of The Ringling. “This program seeks to create a dialogue with contemporary and modern art based on experimentation and collaboration, in which visual art, sound art, installation, group projects and performance can be nurtured, supported and presented in partnership without boundaries or departmental silos.”