Sold Out! Qiujiang Levi Lu (卢秋江): Phantom Orbit

Thu 26 Jun, 2025, 8pm

Free

Thursday, June 26th at 8pm, ISSUE is pleased to present Phantom Orbit, an immersive performance by Qiujiang Levi Lu. Staged within an 18-speaker dome at NYU Brooklyn’s “The Garage” space, it is presented in partnership with Harvestworks. Lu’s residency is supported by Harvestworks’ Technology Immersion Program (TIP) and is part of an ongoing program collaboration between two organizations that are committed to supporting the creation and presentation of experimental performance practices while sharing resources.

Expanding on Lu’s earlier work 钟 Zhong (The Clock), developed at Elektronmusikstudion Stockholm, the piece harnesses four custom-built motion-capturing wearables to sculpt sound in real time. As gestures carve through space, sonic fragments are flung across the dome. Rooted in feedback, Phantom Orbit uses hyper-directional microphone signals and a choreography of spiritual movements to conjure an experientially unique field. Lu navigates this kinetic soundscape as conductor of an ever-changing, dialectical performance with ritualistic improvisations.

Qiujiang Levi Lu (卢秋江) is a NYC-based performance artist, experimental musician, composer, and educator. Their work transforms the body into a sonic object through interactions with movements and audio technology, exploring identity, sound, and space. Lu designs customized feedback systems with cyborg-like body augmentations inspired by Objectophilia/animism. These include special microphones, speakers placed within bodily orifices, and an augmented amplified laptop. Their resulting performances consist of choreographed, ritualistic improvisations building upon ancient Chinese drumming traditions to manifest body dysmorphia, sexuality, spirituality, and mortality. As the second-prize winner of the International Electronic Music Competition 2023, their works have been featured internationally, including MATA Festival, High Zero Festival, The Poetry Project, E-Flux, IRCAM Forum, and Center for Performance Research. Lu has also been an artist-in-residence at ISSUE Project Room, Harvestworks TIP, Reforesters Laboratory, and Elektronmusikstudion Stockholm. Lu is currently a lecturer in the Department of Music at the University of Pennsylvania.

Respect your RSVP

ISSUE encourages a culture of respect around free arts programming–by honoring your RSVP, you recognize ISSUE’s ongoing efforts to cultivate new work by emerging artists. If you can no longer attend this free event, please contact sylver@issueprojectroom.org to let us know. Thank you for respecting the reservation.

Founded in 2003, ISSUE Project Room is a pioneering nonprofit performance center, presenting projects by interdisciplinary artists that expand the boundaries of artistic practice and stimulate critical dialogue in the broader community. ISSUE serves as a leading cultural incubator, facilitating the commission and premiere of innovative new works.

Founded by artists in 1977, Harvestworks Digital Media Arts Center is a leader in the art and technology field, educating, commissioning and producing work by composers, sound, visual and multi-disciplinary artists that reach an ever-expanding and receptive audience.

ISSUE Project Room's Artist-In-Residence program is made possible, in part, with support from TD Charitable Foundation, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and with the support of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.

Additional support for ISSUE Project Room's 2025 season is provided by Metabolic Studio.

ISSUE Project Room is proudly supported by NYU through annual sponsorship and space access.