OC ♥ NY Art Book Fair is a month-long series of posts focused on the exhibitors of the New York Art Book Fair, presented by Printed Matter, Inc., Nov. 5-7th at MoMA PS1, and sponsored in part by Opening Ceremony. Nils Bech and Bendik Giske will perform at the venue during the Fair's opening reception on Nov. 4, from 6-9 p.m.

Nils Bech has devised his own unique path as a persuasive performer through the world of contemporary art. A classically trained singer, he decided to siphon the best of the two worlds of music and art. With sax-player and producer Bendik Giske, Bech has co-written songs his critically acclaimed solo debut titled “Look Back,” which was released earlier this year. Through his collaborations with Bech, he has become a renowned producer and performer of electronic music.

Bech has also sourced material from classical and popular music to deliver poignant comments on the contemporary art world. His performance of Tina Turner’s "Private Dancer" at the Interview magazine party at Art Basel Miami turned the art fair into a scene of prostitutes hustling for money, while his song "Vagabond Girl," based on Agnes Varda’s "Vagabond," was a tribute to Norwegian artist Ida Ekblad, his friend and colleague.

Bech has been invited to open many exhibitions of contemporary art, among them the Frieze Foundation, Performa 09, Gavin Brown, The Dark Fair, New Jerseyy and Bonniers Konsthall, turning these occasions into his medium. In recent years, Bech has performed at all the main venues and music festivals in his native Norway. In addition, he has worked closely with the aforementioned Ekblad, Swedish fashion house Acne, Swiss artist Tobias Madison, and American composer Sergei Tcherepnin, among others.

Bendik Giske has become a renowned voice in the Norwegian music and art scene. He holds a Masters degree in Jazz saxophone and a curiousity and passion for contemporary and pop music, and he has successfully collaborated with many of today's most prominent artists, including Pat Metheny and Arve Henriksen.

On top of touring in more than 15 countries and performing on five studio albums, Giske has performed at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the Opera House in Damascus, The Great Escape in Brighton, and the Ultima Festival for Contemporary Music and Øya Festivalen in Oslo, and other venues.

-Printed Matter












FILED UNDER: NY Art Book Fair , Printed Matter , MoMA PS1 , Nils Bech , Bendik Giske , Acne , Acne Studio