Hibakujumoku
Saturday 1st of June 2024 - opening of outdoor art installation in Stavanger that I have made a sound installation for. More info:
The story of ‘Hibakujumoku’ - the trees that survived the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, is at the heart of our exhibition.
The locals were told that nothing would grow in the city for the next 75 years, but the very next spring the trees began to sprout. This gave the people enormous hope. Trees that survived the atomic bombs, known as ‘Hibakujumoku’ in Japanese, are used by locals to convey messages of peace and war history in a hopeful and child-friendly way. Seeds from these trees are also sent as a symbol of peace to the whole world, and now their seedlings grow in Stavanger Botanical Garden.
Visual artist Helene Espedal-Selvåg, art photographer Yumiko Ashley and sound artist John Derek Bishop have contributed to the exhibition. Their works will explore the relationship between nature and humans, and create an engaging experience for the audience.
The opening of the exhibition will be held as part of the Wonderful World Festival 2024 program. Later the same day at 4pm on Stage 2 at TOU, a panel discussion with the theme ‘Nature as a casualty of war’ will be held, with ‘Hibakujumoku’ taking centre stage. We encourage you to also participate in this session.
Tour in Germany and Norway
Playing nine concerts in Germany and Norway with guitarist Svein Rikard Mathisen.
solo album release
"pi"
“PI” is a piano album by Norwegian producer and musician John Derek Bishop. He has recorded himself playing piano and cut these recordings into 16 short pieces of music. He has focused on creating a minimalistic, fragile and imperfect album. Many layers of piano create a rich sound and texture, and the microphones have been placed close to the piano for an intimate feeling. The album was made in a state of flow and meditation, and Bishop hopes the music will take the listener on an inward journey in thoughts and feelings.
The album is inspired by impressionist composers and neoclassical music.
Bishop usually uses big amounts of reverb and delay in his music productions, but in the album he has not used these effects resulting in a dry sound. All the piano recordings were done by Bishop with a focus on capturing something honest and imperfect. The album was mixed by Steven Bishop and mastered by Taylor Deupree. The cover art is made by Bishop.
“PI” is Bishop ́s fifth solo studio album and he has previously released music with Arve Henriksen, Nils Petter Molvær, Eivind Aarset, Jan Bang, Erland Dahlen, and more. His solo album from 2016 was nominated for the Norwegian Grammy (Spellemann) and his albums have received critical acclaim.
The album was funded by Komponistenes vederlagsfond, Norsk Komponistforening and FFUK.