Literature at The Kitchen
This Video Viewing Room features recordings of selected performances and events by four artists who have presented literature or language-based programming at The Kitchen between 1976 and the present day: Constance DeJong, Jessica Hagedorn, Carl Hancock Rux, and Matvei Yankelevich of Ugly Duckling Presse. These videos appear alongside images and ephemera from The Kitchen’s archive and an introductory text that sheds light on the origins of The Kitchen’s Literature Series.
This presentation is co-organized by Alison Burstein, Curator, Media and Engagement, and artist Constance DeJong. In conjunction with this Video Viewing Room, a livestream event “Literature at The Kitchen: A Roundtable with Constance DeJong, Jessica Hagedorn, Carl Hancock Rux, and Matvei Yankelevich” took place on May 4, 2021.
As part of The Kitchen’s commitment to reanimating its history on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, this Video Viewing Room explores the diverse range of literature and language-based programming that the organization has presented from 1976 through today. This showcase features selected works by four artists—Constance DeJong, Jessica Hagedorn, Carl Hancock Rux, and Matvei Yankelevich of Ugly Duckling Presse—who have helped to shape the organization’s literature program across the decades.
Since The Kitchen was founded in 1971 with the aim to support video art, the organization’s programming has evolved beyond this initial focus to support additional art forms that have not been readily embraced by other art institutions. One such expansion occurred in 1976 when DeJong and Kathy Acker proposed the idea to stage an event centered on their respective texts to the Executive Director at the time, Robert Stearns. Establishing a precedent for subsequent literature programs, this event—though billed as a “Reading”—involved intentional staging and a combination of live reading, pre-recorded materials, and music. DeJong has performed and participated in programs of varying forms at The Kitchen on numerous occasions since this first performance. Her work is represented on this page by recordings and ephemera from her second appearance at The Kitchen in 1977—a performance of stage adaptations of The Lucy Amarillo Stories and Modern Love—and her collaborative performance with Tony Oursler, Relatives (1988), first presented at The Kitchen in 1989 and restaged in 2018.
From the time of these initial language-based programs through the present day, The Kitchen has continued to support works that merge prose and poetry with disciplines including music, dance, and theater. This viewing room spotlights performances by Hagedorn and Rux that demonstrate unique, interdisciplinary approaches presented in the 1980s and 1990s. In various performances at The Kitchen between 1981 and 2000, Hagedorn collaborated with writers, musicians, and dancers, as seen in the two works featured on this page: a song from the first work that Hagedorn performed at The Kitchen in 1981 with her band The Gangster Choir, Tenement Lover: (no palm trees / in new york city), and the piece “Shelter” (1988), a collaboration between Hagedorn’s performance poetry group Thought Music (with Laurie Carlos and Robbie McCauley), the dance ensemble Urban Bush Women, and the Dirty Tones Band. Rux has contributed to The Kitchen’s literature program as both a presenting artist and a Guest Curator. Included here are materials related to his work in both roles, with a recording of his own production Pagan Operetta from spring 1999 and ephemera related to a performance he curated in the fall of the same year, Black Wings & Blind Angels by the poet Sapphire.
While The Kitchen presented literature programming interspersed with its other performance events from 1976 onward, the organization established its dedicated Literature Series in 1989 under the direction of its first Literature Curator, Ira Silverberg (the postcard seen above announced the inaugural events in the series). In winter 1991, Silverberg initiated a new program within the Literature Series titled “An Evening With” that presented readings in partnership with small presses, literary journals, and anthology projects. The “An Evening With” program ran through fall 1992 and was later revived in fall 2005. As a member of the editorial collective Ugly Duckling Presse, Yankelevich has payed an integral role in the continuation of this program, presenting six “An Evening With” events between 2007 and 2012. Ephemera from four of these events is featured on this page. Since 2014, UDP has partnered with The Kitchen to present five additional events in varying formats, including the 2018 program “UDP: Anne Boyer & Simone White (in conversation)” seen in the video recording below.
In conjunction with this Video Viewing Room, The Kitchen was pleased to bring this group of artists together in conversation during the event “Literature at The Kitchen: A Roundtable with Constance DeJong, Jessica Hagedorn, Carl Hancock Rux, and Matvei Yankelevich” on May 4, 2021.
Constance DeJong
The Lucy Amarillo Stories (1977)
On October 21 and 22, 1977, DeJong presented at The Kitchen stage adaptations of her texts Modern Love and The Lucy Amarillo Stories combining text, pre-recorded voices, and music composed by Philip Glass. To learn more about this performance, visit The Kitchen’s Archive Site.
The excerpt above shows DeJong performing The Lucy Amarillo Stories with Ken Deifik on harmonica. To watch the full recording of this performance, click here.
Relatives with Tony Oursler (1988)
DeJong and Oursler performed Relatives at The Kitchen on March 3 and 4, 1989. The collaboration combines text written and read by DeJong with video created by Oursler. To learn more about the 1989 performance of Relatives, visit The Kitchen’s Archive Site.
The artists returned to The Kitchen to restage Relatives in March 2018. To learn more about this restaging, click here.
Jessica Hagedorn
Tenement Lover: (no palm trees / in new york city…) with The Gangster Choir (1981)
On April 24 and 25, 1981, The Kitchen in collaboration with Basement Workshop presented what the press release billed as “two evenings of writings, music, and dance by Ntozake Shange and Jessica Hagedorn, ” directed by poet and performance artist Thulani Davis. Hagedorn staged Tenement Lover: (no palm trees / in new york city…)—a work written by her with music by The Gangster Choir and Butch Morris and set design by John Woo. To learn more about this performance, visit The Kitchen’s Archive Page.
Hagedorn and The Gangster Choir performed the song included above, Tenement Lover, as part of the performance event. The same version of the song is featured on the the cassette compilation A Diamond Hidden in the Mouth of a Corpse (1985), which features cover art by Keith Haring.
Hagedorn and The Gangster Choir returned to The Kitchen for a performance in 1985. To view the program for this event, click here.
“Shelter” from Urban Bush Women, Heat (1988), performed by Urban Bush Women, Pyeng Threadgill, Thought Music, and the Dirty Tones Band
From September 22–October 2, 1988, The Kitchen and Urban Bush Women presented the New York premiere of the evening-length, multidisciplinary work Heat—a collaboration between choreographer and co-director Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, co-director Laurie Carlos, composer Craig Harris, writers Thought Music (Laurie Carlos, Jessica Hagedorn, Robbie McCauley), and visual concept designer Leni Schwendinger. To learn more about this performance, visit The Kitchen’s Archive Site.
Heat is a work in two sections. The excerpt above is from the second section, “Shelter.” To view the full performance of “Shelter,” click here.
Carl Hancock Rux
Pagan Operetta (1999)
Rux performed poetry, prose, and short stories from his book Pagan Operetta (1998, Fly By Night Press) at The Kitchen from May 6–8, 1999. The production featured performers Rux, Valerie Winborne, Helga Davis, and Jason Finkelman and was directed by Talvin Wilks, with lighting design by Darren W. McCroon and vocal arrangements by Toshi Reagon. To learn more about Pagan Operetta, visit The Kitchen’s Archive Site.
To watch the full recording of this performance, click here.
Sapphire, Black Wings & Blind Angels (1999), curated by Carl Hancock Rux
As Guest Curator, Literature for the Fall 1999 season at The Kitchen, Rux curated an evening-length performance by Sapphire that combined selections of the poet’s writing with movement and music. Black Wings & Blind Angels was directed by Jaye Austin Williams, with movement by Christalyn Wright and original music by Kwame Brandt Pierce. To learn more about Black Wings & Blind Angels, visit The Kitchen’s Archive Site.
Ugly Duckling Presse
“UDP: Anne Boyer & Simone White (in conversation)” (2018)
The Kitchen partnered with Ugly Duckling Presse to present a program on May 24, 2018 celebrating the launch of Anne Boyer’s book A Handbook of Disappointed Fate and Simone White’s Dear Angel of Death. The evening featured readings by both authors followed by a conversation moderated by their editor, Anna Moschovakis. To learn more about this event, visit the event page.
To watch the full recording of this program, click here.
“Salon 6x6: An Evening with Ugly Duckling Presse” (2007)
On February 13, 2007, The Kitchen presented an evening of readings and music organized by Ugly Duckling Presse in conjunction with the release of Issue #12 of their tri-annual publication 6x6. The event featured poets who had contributed to issues of 6x6— Sawako Nakayasu, Cynthia Nelson, Matthew Rohrer, Evan Willner, and Lynn Xu—and included musical performances by Coraline, Rio en Medio, Chris Cogburn and Liz Tonne, and Legends. To learn more about this event, visit The Kitchen’s Archive Site.
“Talk Show: An Evening with Ugly Duckling Presse” (2010) and “Out of Print: An Evening with Ugly Duckling Presse” (2011)
On May 3, 2010, The Kitchen presented “Talk Show: An Evening with Ugly Duckling Presse” celebrating the release of two new books: Ten Walks/Two Talks by Andy Fitch and Jon Cotner and Made-Up Interviews with Imaginary Artists by Alex Stein. Taking the format of a late night talk show and co-hosted by Fitch and Cotner, the event included interviews, poetry, and unscripted surprises by guests including Dodie Bellamy, Rachel Levitsky, Matthew Rohrer, Marina Temkina, and Cecilia Vicuña. To learn more about this event, visit The Kitchen’s Archive Site.
For “Out of Print: An Evening with Ugly Duckling Presse” on May 9, 2011, Ugly Duckling Presse organized a program of live performances by authors. The night included a text for speaking by playwright and performer Kristen Kosmas; a surprise intervention by No Collective; a slideshow by artist and photographer Erica Baum with poet Kim Rosenfield; and Yevgeniy Fiks with a queer guide to Moscow's communist monuments. To learn more about this event, visit The Kitchen’s Archive Site.
“Emergency Index: An Evening with Ugly Duckling Presse” (2012)
On March 20, 2012, Ugly Duckling Presse celebrated the inaugural edition of Emergency INDEX 2011 with a night of performances during which choreographers, theater directors, playwrights, and performance artists reacted to and elaborated in real time on documents from the pages of INDEX 2012. To learn more about this event, visit The Kitchen’s Archive Site.
In addition to the programs featured here, Ugly Duckling Presse has presented six additional events at The Kitchen. To learn more about these programs, click on the following links: “6x6 #15: An Evening with Ugly Duckling Presse” (May 28, 2008), “Notes on Conceptualisms: An Evening with Ugly Duckling Presse” (March 31, 2009), “Six Evening Talks” (April 23, 2014), “Costume En Face” (January 9, 2015), Constance DeJong: Modern Love (April 4, 2017), and Emergency INDEX Vol. 6 (November 29, 2017).
Images and videos:
1) Postcard for The Kitchen’s Literary Series, winter 1990.
2) Excerpt from Constance DeJong, The Lucy Amarillo Stories, 1977. Black and white, sound, 40 minutes. Video recording from the collection of The Kitchen Archive, ca. 1971–1999. The Getty Research Institute.
Written and told by Constance DeJong. Lucy’s Music by Philip Glass. Played by Kenny Deifik, harmonica.
3) Left: Postcard for Constance DeJong, Modern Love and The Lucy Amarillo Stories at The Kitchen, October 21 and 22, 1977. Courtesy of the artist. Right: Press release for Constance DeJong, Modern Love and The Lucy Amarillo Stories at The Kitchen, October 21 and 22, 1977. Detail. To see the full press release, click here.
4) Excerpt from Constance DeJong and Tony Oursler, Relatives, 1989. Color, sound, 5 minutes. Video courtesy of the artists.
Video by Tony Oursler, text written and performed by Constance DeJong.
5) Left: Press release for Constance DeJong and Tony Oursler, Relatives at The Kitchen, March 3–4,1989. Detail. To see the full press release, click here. Right: Program image for Constance DeJong and Tony Oursler, Relatives at The Kitchen, March 3–4,1989. Detail. To see the full program, click here.
6) Jessica Hagedorn and The Gangster Choir, Tenement Lover (1981). Sound, 6 minutes 45 seconds.
Words and vocals: Jessica Hagedorn. Music: The Gangster Choir. Guitar: Hiroshi Harada. Bass: Eric Turner. Cornet: Butch Morris. Percussion: Bugsy Moore. Synthesizer: Dan Almateen. Drums: Rick Mascarinas. Engineer: Bugsy Moore. Produced by Jessica Hagedorn and The Gangster Choir. Recorded at “The 80s” Studio, New York, 1981. Included on the cassette compilation A Diamond Hidden in the Mouth of a Corpse (1985).
7) Jessica Hagedorn, Tenement Lover: (no palm trees/in new york city), 1981. Performance view, The Kitchen. ©1981 Paula Court.
8) Left: April 1981 calendar of programming, The Kitchen. Detail. To see the full calendar, click here. Right: Listing for Ntozake Shange and Jessica Hagedorn at The Kitchen, published in Soho News, April 22–27, 1981.
9) Excerpt from “Shelter” performed by Urban Bush Women, Pyeng Threadgill, Thought Music, and the Dirty Tones Band in Urban Bush Women, Heat, 1988. Color, sound, 40 minutes. Courtesy of Urban Bush Women.
Choreographer/co-director: Jawole Willa Jo Zollar. Co-director: Laurie Carlos. Composer: Craig Harris. Visual Concepts/Projections: Leni Schwendinger. Writers: Thought Music (Laurie Carlos, Jessica Hagedorn, Robbie McCauley).
10) Postcard for Urban Bush Women, Heat at The Kitchen, September 22–October 2, 1988. Front and back.
11) Excerpt from Carl Hancock Rux, Pagan Operetta, 1988. Color, sound, 1 hour, eight minutes. Video recording from the collection of The Kitchen Archive, ca. 1971–1999. The Getty Research Institute.
Writer: Carl Hancock Rux. Performers: Carl Hancock Rux, Valerie Winborne, Helga Davis, and Jason Finkelman. Director: Talvin Wilks. Lighting designer: Darren W. McCroon. Vocal arrangements by Toshi Reagon.
12) Postcard for Carl Hancock Rux, Pagan Operetta at The Kitchen, May 6–8, 1988. Front and back.
13) Left: Press release for Carl Hancock Rux, Pagan Operetta at The Kitchen, May 6–8, 1999. Detail. To see the full press release, click here. Right: “Carl Hancock Rux and Nathan Englander,” published in Village Voice, May 11, 1999, Vol. XLIV No. 18. To view the full listing, click here.
14) Postcard for Sapphire, Black Wings & Blind Angels at The Kitchen, September 24–25, 1999. Front and back.
15) Left: Press release for Sapphire, Black Wings & Blind Angels at The Kitchen, September 24–25, 1999. Detail. To see the full press release, click here. Right: Program release for Sapphire, Black Wings & Blind Angels at The Kitchen, September 24–25, 1999. Detail.
16) Anne Boyer, Anna Moschovakis, and Simone White in “UDP: Anne Boyer & Simone White (in conversation)” at The Kitchen, May 24, 2018. Videography by Iki Nakagawa.
17) Postcard for “6x6 Salon: An Evening with Ugly Duckling Presse” at The Kitchen, February 13, 2007. Designed by Ugly Duckling Presse. Front and back.
18) Left: Postcard for “Talk Show: An Evening with Ugly Duckling Presse” at The Kitchen, May 3, 2010. Designed by Ugly Duckling Presse. Right: Postcard for “Out of Print: An Evening with Ugly Duckling Presse” at The Kitchen, May 9, 2011. Designed by Ugly Duckling Presse.
19) Postcard for “Emergency Index: An Evening with Ugly Duckling Presse” at The Kitchen, March 20, 2012. Designed by Ugly Duckling Presse. Front and back.