The Latest Site Responsive Performance
- Sep 21, 2025
- 2 min read
Museum for Art in Wood – Planks in a Shipwreck (Philadelphia)
Audio Performance with Jair-Rohm Parker Wells- Sept. 10, 2025
At the Museum for Art in Wood, I collaborated with the legendary bassist and sound innovator Jair-Rohm Parker Wells on a live sonic duet with oration. The performance was situated within the international group exhibition Planks in a Shipwreck, and framed by my personal history as a gallery owner in Old City—where I presented works by James Camp, George Nakashima, and Terry Adkins.
In preparation for the concert, I constructed my workstation from a bent-wood teak base and a plank of hemlock—sourced, crafted, and designed in 2023 with FutureFarmers Lode Vranken at the Awbury Arboretum. Alongside this, I presented works by James Camp, created from 200-year-old rosewood—one of the oldest living entity in the room. This gesture became the foundation for my spoken reflection on the importance of respecting our elders, both human and arboreal.
The performance itself honored trees as living ancestors and extended into the broader community of humankind, resonating with the exhibition’s themes of material transformation, migration, and collective memory. The duet combined spoken oration and sonic improvisation, creating a layered dialogue between wood’s physical presence, its spiritual symbolism, and the legacies of artists who worked with it.
The event was documented and is archived at Fire Museum Presents, preserving its contribution to Philadelphia’s experimental music and art history. Click link to view, let me know what you think, how it made you feel. On behalf of Mr Wells & yours truly. Peace be with you and yours,
Taji Ra'oof Nahl / TR7
Comments