Richie Hawtin to soundtrack new NYC art exhibition

by: Anna Laurash Nov 4, 2016

Techno legend Richie Hawtin repeatedly expands his sphere of influence on the electronic music industry. Proving his talents reach far beyond producing iconic dance tracks, the tech-savvy Canadian has done everything from unleashing the app RADR, which tracks the songs played in Native Instrument‘s Traktor mixing system, to releasing a custom mixer in May 2016.

Looking beyond the music realm, Hawtin has even gone embraced the world of fine art. In 2012, Hawtin performed at the Grand Palais in Paris for Anish Kapoor’s “Leviathan” installation, and in 2013, he performed at Dior’s Guggenheim International Gala, making him the first DJ to perform at the iconic New York gallery.

Blurring the lines between art and music once again for his most recent artistic venture, Hawtin has designed a new soundscape that will be incorporated into German visual artist Andreas Gurskey’s latest photography exhibition. Entitled Not Abstract II, New York’s Gagosian Gallery will feature Gurskey’s signature distorted and exaggerated images of everyday life, including tulip fields, rows of Amazon packages in a warehouse, coffee makers, and vacuum cleaners.

Hawtin’s featured music will pair nicely with the exhibit’s exploratory concept. For the visual project, Hawtin has temporarily parted ways with his world-class techno sound, instead opting for an ambient, otherworldly soundscape that complements the hypnotic elements of Gurskey’s skewed photographs.

The Gagosian Gallery’s Chelsea location is slated to host Not Abstract II from November 10 to December 23.

A sample of Hawtin’s work for the gallery is available to stream here.