Sarah Small (born 1979 in Washington D.C.) is a Brooklyn-based American artist, composer, singer, filmmaker, photographer, and performer featured on Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble's GRAMMY-Winning album, Sing Me Home.[1][2] She is known for her photographic and Tableau Vivant performance series The Delirium Constructions, singing as part of the Balkan vocal trio Black Sea Hotel, acting as the protagonist in the feature film Butter on the Latch by Josephine Decker, and directing the musical album, new music opera performance, and feature film Secondary Dominance.

Sarah Small
Born1979
EducationB.A. in Photography from Rhode Island School of Design
Occupation(s)Composer, Vocalist, Filmmaker, Performer, Director, Photographer
Known for
  • Tableau Vivant (performance)
  • Black Sea Hotel (vocal ensemble)
  • The Delirium Constructions (photography series)
  • Butter on the Latch (film)
  • Secondary Dominance (performance, album, film)
ParentFather: Haskell Small
Websitehttps://www.sarahsmall.com/

Education and career

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She attended high school at The Field School, in Washington, D.C.[3] and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in photography.[4][5]

After graduating from college, Small moved to Brooklyn and worked as a photographer for 13 years. Her work has appeared in publications including Vogue,[3] Life Magazine,[3] The New York Times,[6] The Washington Post,[7] and The Wall Street Journal,[8] has been showcased by John Schaefer on WNYC’s Soundcheck[9] and National Public Radio, and exhibited globally at venues including Galerie Caprice Horn (Berlin), Corcoran Gallery of Art (Washington DC), and the Australian Centre for Photography. She was named one of the “Top 13 Emerging Photographers” working today, by American Photo Magazine.[10]

In 2002, Small began studying Bulgarian vocal production in a start-up Bulgarian women's choir, Yasna Voices.[11] In 2006, Yasna Voices traveled on grant to  Bulgaria to study with master singer Kremena Stancheva, a founding member of the Bulgarian women’s choir,  Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares.[12]

In 2007, Small co-formed Brooklyn's Balkan vocal ensemble, Black Sea Hotel. She has premiered original works with Kronos Quartet in collaboration with Black Sea Hotel at St. Ann's Warehouse.[13][14]  and National Sawdust, and on stage with Reggie Watts and Sxip Shirey and Joe’s Pub.[9] The vocal trio  was featured in Small's Tableau Vivant of The Delirium Constructions in 2011 and headlined the Lund Choral Festival in Scandinavia in 2018.[15][16] Black Sea Hotel has taught Balkan folk singing  internationally, with a specialization in songs from Shopluk, Bulgaria. Highlights include teaching residences at Sjöviks Folkhögskola in Sweden

In 2009, she taught Portrait Photography to seniors at the Parsons School of Design, and has taught darkroom photography to children and adults.[3] In 2011, her 120-participant Tableau Vivant performance was featured in The Washington Post and The New York Times. [17][18]

In 2012, Small formed Hydra, another vocal trio,[19] and performed with Sean Ono Lennon and Taxiplasm at The Box.[20][21]

In 2014, Small starred in Butter on the Latch,[19] a psychological thriller film directed by Josephine Decker, which was on The New Yorker's “10 Best Movies of 2014.”[22]

In 2016, Small was invited by Beth Morrison and HERE Arts Center’s PROTOTYPE Festival to premiere her work “Secondary Dominance” on stage,[23][24] which has since been made into several music videos and a feature film.[25][26]

As a photographer and performance artist, Small has exhibited and lectured internationally for The Lucie Foundation,,[27] Apple Store Soho, and at the China International Photographic Exhibition granted by the Ministry of Culture of China.[28]

Select photography exhibitions

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  • 2017 - Fast Forward//Rewind, Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia, US[29]
  • 2011 - Human Time Space, DOB Hua Lamphong Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand[30]
  • 2011 - Neubacher Inaugural Exhibition, Neubacher Shor Contemporary, Toronto, Canada[31]
  • 2010 - 100 Portraits - 100 Photographers, Fotoweek DC, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., US[32]
  • 2010 - Art of Photography Show, Lyceum Gallery, San Diego, California, US[33]
  • 2010 - Vignettes, Bleicher/GoLightly Gallery, Santa Monica, California, US[34]
  • 2010 - Art Taipei Forum, Taipei World Trade Center, Taipei, Taiwan[35]
  • 2009 - Bova Images Festival, Bova, Calabria, Italy[36]
  • 2008 - Delight and Horror: The Photographs of Sarah Small, 1000 Words Photography[37]
  • 2007 - Soft Ground, Platform Gallery, Winnipeg, Canada[38]
  • 2004 - Art+Commerce Festival, Emerging Photographers, Tobacco Warehouse, Brooklyn, NY, US[4]

Select performance art

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  • 2017 - PROTOTYPE Festival - Secondary Dominance[24]
  • 2011 - Powerhouse Arena - Tableau Vivant of the Delirium Constructions[39]
  • 2011 - Bathhouse Arena - Tableau Vivant of the Delirium Constructions[39]
  • 2011 - Skylight One Hanson, Williamsburg Clocktower Building - Tableau Vivant of the Delirium Constructions[17]
  • 2010 - 92Y Tribeca - Tableau Vivant of the Delirium Constructions[39]

Filmography

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Title Type Year Producer Performer Director Composer Singer Photographer Ref
Docuconcoction of the Delirium Constructions Documentary film 2024 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Secondary Dominance Feature film 2023 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No [26][40]
Don’t Worry Darling Feature film 2022 No No No No Yes No [41]
The Autopsy of Jane Doe Feature film 2016 No No No No Yes No
Collective: Unconscious Anthology film 2016 No Yes No No No No [42]
Thou Wast Mild and Lovely Feature film 2014 Yes No No No No No
Butter on the Latch Feature film 2013 No Yes No No Yes No [19]
Tableau Vivant of the Delirium Constructions (filmed at Skylight One Hanson, 2011) Short Film 2011 No Yes Yes Yes Yes No [43]
Team Queen Short film/Music video 2007 No No No No No Yes
Molotov Samba Feature film 2005 No No No No No Yes
Neurotica Short film 2003 No No No No No Yes

Discography

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Year Artist Title Type
2023 Sarah Small Boomerang of Black Fluorescence Album
2023 Sarah Small Behind the Gymnasium Chamber Work
2019 Sarah Small Secondary Dominance Album
2016 Silk Road Ensemble Sing Me Home Single: “Sadila Jana”[44][45]
2014 Jessi Colter and Lenny Kaye The Psalms Single: “Psalm 81”[46]
2014 Hydra Hydra Single: “Sonnet 81”
2014 Hydra Hydra Single: “Wake Up”
2013 Black Sea Hotel The Forest is Shaking and Swaying Album
2010 Ansambl Mastika Songs & Dances for Life Nonstop Single: “Iskupav Poema”[47]

Select music photography

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  • 2014 Brooklyn Rider, The Brooklyn Rider Almanac
  • 2009 Kitka, Cradle Songs[48]
  • 2008 Jan Vogler, Tango![48]
  • 2008 Martin Bisi, Sirens of the Apocalypse[48]
  • 2007 Jan Vogler, Concerti Brillanti[48]
  • 2006 Shara Nova's My Brightest Diamond, Bring Me the Workhorse[49]

Select photography awards

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  • 2010 - Selected as 1 of 50 Top Finalists for Artists Wanted: Exposure 2010[35]
  • 2010 - Selected by Magenta Foundation as 2010 US Flash Forward winner[50]
  • 2009 - “10 Best 10” Photo Contest Winner - Resource Magazine and Win-Initiative[51]
  • 2009 - 1 of 2 American finalists selected from 65 countries by ITS#EIGHT International Talent Support, to be flown to Italy for exhibition and award ceremony.[52]
  • 2009 - Selected 1st Place winner for 2009 Fine Art Xto Nude Image Awards to be exhibited in Farmani Gallery in July.[53]
  • 2009 - Winner of Magnet Media's Zoom-In-Online Viewfinder's Challenge, judged by David Turner and Redux Pictures Director, Marcel Saba.
  • 2008 - Chosen as 1 of 13 Top Emerging Talents by American Photo Magazine.[54]
  • 2008 - Avant Guardian Competition Winner - Surface Magazine[4][55]
  • 2008 - Finalist - Critical Mass Competition[56]
  • 2004 - Emerging Photographer Competition Winner - Art + Commerce[4]

References

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  1. ^ Sing Me Home - Silkroad Ensemble, Yo-Yo Ma | Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 2022-01-09
  2. ^ "Silk Road Ensemble". GRAMMY.com. 2020-11-23. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
  3. ^ a b c d Kaufman, Sarah (19 June 2011). "Naked ambition: Sarah Small's 'Delirium Construction' brims with life". Washington Post.
  4. ^ a b c d "Gallery shows off work of noted photographer Small". Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. 2008-02-20. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
  5. ^ "Tribeca Citizen | March at 92YTribeca". Tribeca Citizen. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
  6. ^ Sulcas, Roslyn (2011-05-25). "In Brooklyn, a Boschscape of Vows, Song and Flesh". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
  7. ^ "Sarah Small's living picture". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
  8. ^ Waleson, Heidi (2017-01-17). "'Secondary Dominance' and 'Funeral Doom Spiritual' Reviews: More Than Opera". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
  9. ^ a b "Gig Alert: Black Sea Hotel | Soundcheck". WNYC. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
  10. ^ "Brief overview of work to 2010". Nepotism Magazine. Archived from the original on 2010-12-29.
  11. ^ "Yasna Voices - Female World Septet". www.harmony-sweepstakes.com. Retrieved 2022-11-19.
  12. ^ Stankova, Maria Vassileva (2019). Globalization, Nationalism and Cultural Translation in Bulgarian Folk Singing (Thesis). ProQuest 2201117111.
  13. ^ "Sarah Small's Provocative Secondary Dominance: Highlight of This Year's Prototype Festival". New York Music Daily. 2017-01-12.
  14. ^ "Open House & Songs From Home". St. Ann's Warehouse. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
  15. ^ "Åtta uruppföranden på Lunds körfestival |" (in Swedish). 2 September 2018. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
  16. ^ "Lund Choral Festival i Lunds domkyrka 2018". Lunds domkyrka (in Swedish). 2018-10-14. Retrieved 2022-11-19.
  17. ^ a b "In Brooklyn, a Boschscape of Vows, Song and Flesh". The New York Times. 26 May 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  18. ^ "Sarah Small's living picture". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
  19. ^ a b c "Review: BUTTER ON THE LATCH, A Fascinating And Truly Original Work Of Art". ScreenAnarchy. 2014-11-13. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
  20. ^ "OUT OF THE BOX – JUNE 7TH NYC – SEAN LENNON, HYDRA & THE CLICK CLACK BOOM TO PERFORM FOR TAXIPLASM'S FILM PROJECT". THE UNTITLED MAGAZINE. 2012-06-01. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  21. ^ "Sean Lennon". The Deli Magazine. 2012-06-14. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  22. ^ Brody, Richard (2014-12-11). "The Best Movies of 2014". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
  23. ^ "Prototype: Opera/Theatre/Now". Time Out New York. 2016-12-19. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  24. ^ a b "Secondary Dominance – PROTOTYPE". 20 November 2018. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  25. ^ Cristi, A. A. "Sarah Small, Vanessa Walters, Wade McCullom's SECONDARY DOMINANCE Joins Prototype Festival". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  26. ^ a b "Secondary Dominance". backstage.com. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  27. ^ "Lucie Foundation Newsletter". luciefoundation.org. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
  28. ^ "Image Makers with Sarah Small and Jason Florio - Events - APA New York". ny.apanational.org. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
  29. ^ Feaster, Felicia. "Review: Eclectic mix of photographers from across country at MOCA GA". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  30. ^ Human/Time/Space By 17 artists | Thai Art Exhibition
  31. ^ Neubacher Shor Contemporary Launch and Inaugural Exhibition – nsc
  32. ^ "Larissa Leclair - 100 Portraits – 100 Photographers". larissaleclair.com. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  33. ^ Art of Photography Show – An Evening with Sarah Small
  34. ^ Shannon Rowland Photography
  35. ^ a b "CV from 2011" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-26. Retrieved 2011-07-21.
  36. ^ The Exposure Project: Bova Images Festival
  37. ^ "Sarah Small". LENSCRATCH. 2008-12-03. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  38. ^ "Exhibitions | Platform Centre". platformgallery.org. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  39. ^ a b c Sierra, Gabrielle. "TABLEAU VIVANT... Opens At Skylight One Hanson". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  40. ^ Cristi, A. A. "Sarah Small, Vanessa Walters, Wade McCullom's SECONDARY DOMINANCE Joins Prototype Festival". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  41. ^ "Don't Worry Darling Score OST Cover by psycosid09 on DeviantArt". deviantart.com. 6 October 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  42. ^ Harvey, Dennis (2016-04-05). "Film Review: 'Collective:Unconscious'". Variety. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  43. ^ "Tableau Vivant of the Delirium Constructions. Puede vivir toda la belleza del mundo en una sala de teatro?". 23 December 2020.
  44. ^ Sing Me Home - Silkroad Ensemble, Yo-Yo Ma | Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 2022-01-29
  45. ^ "Standout Performances". Our RISD. 21 February 2017. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  46. ^ The Psalms - Jessi Colter | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 2022-01-29
  47. ^ "#3175: New Releases, February 2011". newsounds. 2011-02-01. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  48. ^ a b c d "Sarah Small Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  49. ^ Bring Me the Workhorse - My Brightest Diamond, allmusic.com, retrieved 2022-01-30
  50. ^ Magenta: Flash Forward 2010 - Winners and Honourable Mentions
  51. ^ "Sarah Small". Resource Magazine. Fall 2009. pp. 116–117. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  52. ^ Photography Grants and Awards: ITS International Talent Support : photo competition
  53. ^ Farmani Gallery
  54. ^ Living Pictures | News | About | RISD
  55. ^ "Winners of Avant Guardian Announced". Popular Photography. 2019-01-17. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  56. ^ "Image Makers with Sarah Small and Jason Florio - Events - APA New York". ny.apanational.org. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
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