SAN FRANCISCO — Jiz Lee is tub-thumping their role as “ambiguously gendered conjoined twins” in the world premiere of a multimedia video-concert event titled “God in Three Persons” set for late January at New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
San Francisco-based art-rockers The Residents have partnered with video artist John Sanborn on this reimagined version of “God in Three Persons,” based on the Residents’ acclaimed 1988 album.
The event, presented by MoMA in collaboration with the Cryptic Corporation, will play three times on January 24 and 25.
Lee enthused about the unusual opportunity to stretch their artistic boundaries.
"I'm honored to be a part of such a legendary album, and the role of 'The Twins' was a perfect fit," they said. "I've long been drawn to twinned characters. The theme was central in my past performance work in the art-duo Twincest with Syd Blakovich and myself. To be invited to perform alongside the Residents as gender-fluid characters recognized my own nonbinary identity."
Lee’s acting work in the “dark tale” afforded an opportunity to “perform a range of emotions and utilized my background in dance to push my physical expressions. It’s my second time working with John Sanborn, after 2015’s 'Mythic Status,' and I have a lot of trust in his video art. Can’t wait to see the final show!”
Described as a “propulsive and brooding rock oratorio,” a rep notes, the Residents’ famously anonymous lead singer, performing as “Mr. X,” preaches of his encounters with “a pair of ambiguously gendered conjoined twins (Lee). Their physical union has magical healing powers — or so he claims! A confession of faith-mongering complicated by a crisis of desire, ‘God in Three Persons’ functions as a darkly twisted cautionary tale about the risk of losing yourself in the process of refusing to accept others in their entirety.”
The story is set to unfold via Sanborn’s “fabulously lurid multi-layered projections.” The Residents will perform as a six-piece musical ensemble led by vocalist Laurie Amat, who is reprising her role from the ’88 album.
“God in Three Persons” is “sung in rhythmic spoken word fashion,” the rep explained, “similar to the talking blues and driven by a bombastic and dynamic score derived entirely from the first few bars of the hymn ‘Holy, Holy, Holy,’ along with the melodic hook from the Swinging Medallions’ 1966 hit ‘Double Shot of My Baby’s Love.’”
The Residents has never toured or publicly performed “God in Three Persons.”
Director Travis Chamberlain leads a creative team that includes Joshua Raoul Brody (musical direction); Leigh Barbier (puppetry, background design); and Steve Saporito (producer).
Additional creative team members include Ron Magliozzi (Curator); Sophie Cavoulacos (Assistant Curator, Dept. of Film); Sean Egan (Senior Producer, Film Exhibitions and Projects); and Carson Parish (Theatre Manager, MoMA).
Tickets go on sale January 10, at 9:30 a.m. (EST) for the January 24 show and January 11, at 9:30 a.m., for the January 25 performance.
Click here for additional details and ticketing information.
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