Sarasota Review

New York artist and musician Ted Riederer is set to return to the Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design from June 3-9. During his visit, he will continue his ongoing project, Never Records, by creating vinyl records in collaboration with local artists and community members. This marks Riederer's second residency at the museum following his participation in the Impact: Contemporary Artists at the Hermitage Artists Retreat exhibition in March.

Riederer's Never Records installation combines elements of a vintage vinyl record store with a music recording studio. "My goal with Never Records is to create high-quality recordings that everyone can be proud of," said Riederer. He expressed enthusiasm about returning to Sarasota due to the abundance of talented artists in the community.

Local artists participating include Shawn Cacciola, Francesco Tarantino, nowincolor, Ellen Bernfeld with her mother, Edwin Culver, Dean Brenneman and the Dan Dembicki Quintet as The GRAVEL ROAD, Louie San Luis, and Paul Citrin. Each will have their performances recorded on vinyl during one of two daily sessions overseen by Riederer.

The recording process involves mixing and mastering tracks before cutting them onto vinyl records. Riederer describes this as "a guided meditation into the visualization of sound." He emphasizes that these recordings capture an organic energy distinct from traditional sessions.

Sarasota Art Museum Executive Director Virginia Shearer highlighted the significance of installations like Never Records for fostering artistic dialogue within the community. Associate Curator Lacie Barbour noted how diverse local artists bring unique sounds and stories that transform gallery spaces.

Never Records celebrates its 14th anniversary this year. Since its inception in 2010, it has traveled globally to cities such as Liverpool, London, Lisbon, New Orleans, Brooklyn, and Amman. To commemorate this milestone, Riederer will give a talk on June 8 at Sarasota High School Alumni Auditorium about his project's history and impact on art and community engagement.

The public can observe recording sessions from June 3-9 as part of their museum admission. These sessions are included within Impact: Contemporary Artists at the Hermitage Artists Retreat exhibition currently open through July 7.