Douglas Kearney and Haitian-born experimental musician and sound artist Val Jeanty wrote and performed Freedom of Shadow, an oratorio for solo voice and electronics. As a companion piece to the performance, Berlin-based shriftkunstler (writing artist) Drury Brennan  took over the Poetry Foundation gallery wall to compose ulteriori ombre (further shadows), a massive calligraphic reaction to Kearney’s original text.

Drury Brennan, in the red shirt and leather jacket, met Val Jeanty before the performance. Nadine Nakanishi and Nick Butcher of Sonnenzimmer, who created the beautiful posters for the event, chatted with Kearney during the reception. 

The performance took place on September 20, 2014. The exhibition will be up at the Poetry Foundation, 61 W. Superior St, through late fall. 

Photographs by Jeffery “Hitch” Hitchens.