Info

Formed in 2003, New York-based New Humans make collaborative works at the intersection of sound, installation, and performance actions. New Humans emerged out of Mika Tajima's art practice and is a moniker for her projects with other musicians, artists and designers.

New Humans performances and recordings continue a working use of physical materials, piercing drones, sheer static, and low bass frequencies.

Members are Howie Chen, Mika Tajima, and Eric Tsai.

* Past participants include Danny Barria, Nick Phillips, and Bella Foster.

Past Performances/Projects

2011
Charles Atlas, Mika Tajima and New Humans: The Pedestrians, South London Gallery, London
New Humans screening and performance for Às Artes, Cidadãos exhibition at Serralves Foundation, Porto, Portugal

2010
New Humans performance for wait for me at the bottom of the pool organized by Bob Nickas
New Humans performance for Double Features organized by C. Spencer Yeh
New Humans performance as part of Renee Green: Endless Dreams and Time-Based Streams exhibition program, incl. Florian Hecker, YBCA, San Francisco
New Humans performance, Sculpture Center, New York

2009
New Humans with James Plotkin, X Initiative, New York
Mika Tajima/New Humans in collaboration with Charles Atlas and Judith Butler, SFMOMA, California

2008

New Humans performance, The Station, Miami
New Humans performance and installation, Artissima, Turin, Italy
New Humans, Orphan, DJ Bob Nickas and Mark Ibold, Triple Canopy, New York
New Humans performance in conjunction with Olivier Mosset exhibition, Zane Bennett, Santa Fe, New Mexico

2007

New Humans performance, Circuit, Lausanne, Switzerland

New Humans performance, Ballroom Marfa, Texas
Music festival, Steinkjer, Norway
New Humans performance collaboration with Vito Acconci and C. Spencer Yeh, New York

2006
New Humans performance DIA Art Foundation Gala, New York

New Humans, Grass Grows Forever in Every Possible Direction & Infinite Black Noise, PICA TBA:06l, Oregon
New Humans record release performance in collaboration w. Philippe Decrauzat Plate 28 installation. Swiss Institute, NY
New Humans performance at Uncertain States of America (exhibition) Bard Center for Curatorial Studies, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
New Humans performance 30-60-90: Airport War, First Nation, New Humans, w. Jay Sanders. EFA, New York.

New Humans performance performance in celebration of Rirkrit Tiravanija's & Mark di Suvero's Peace Tower at the Whitney Biennial, Whitney Museum , New York. Speakers & performers included Irving Petlin, Arnold Mesches, John Weber, Apeshit, Japanther, John Giorno, Momus, and Lynne Stewart, among others.

2005

New Humans, presented by the RISD Museum, Providence, Rhode Island.

New Humans, video screening, at Blueroom, Rome, Italy.

New Humans, installation/performance for the inaugural opening of Taller Publico, Mexico City, Mexico.

New Humans with Notekillers (ecstatic peace) at Cakeshop, New York.

New Humans in Vídeo Música Vídeo, and performance at El Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain. Curated by Bob Nickas.

New Humans with Matt Suib collaboration, Cosmic Microwave Background or the Problem with Interstellar Communication Breakdown,P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center

New Humans, installation and sound performances at Walker Art Center inaugural event, Minneapolis

New Humans with Matt Suib collaboration, Cosmic Microwave Background or the Problem with Interstellar Communication Breakdown, Apex Art, New York

2004

New Humans, Dj Olive + Toshio Kajiwara + Markus Miller + Dj North Guinea Hills, Tyondai Braxton, Services, Dub Trio, Talibam at Tonic, New York. Benefit for Steve Kurtz of Critical Art Ensemble.

New Humans performance for Rirkrit Tiravanija Untitled 2002 (he promised) installation organized by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York.

New Humans performance, Broken Meter, performance and installation for The Freedom Salon presented at Deitch Projects, New York.

New Humans, Grass Grows Forever in Every Possible Direction, presented by Lighting for Urban Rooftop Environments in conjunction with The Big Nothing, Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania.

New Humans clothing collaboration with Whole Cloth and New Humans Video #1 included in Drunk vs. Stoned, Gavin Brown's Passerby, New York

New Humans, Grass Grows Forever in Every Possible Direction, Swiss Institute Contemporary Art, New York

Installation design collaboration, Mika Tajima and United Bamboo

 
In 2003, Mika Tajima began collaboration with United Bamboo on designing a new sculptural clothing piece titled "Grass Grows Forever in Every Possible Direction". Four unique pieces were created and utilized in two performances at the Swiss Institute Contemporary Art in NYC.

New Humans in New York Armory Show, Swiss Institute Contemporary Art booth, New York.

Performance and clothing collaboration.

New Cheese Human Burger Mashup Trashup, Gavin Brown's Passerby, New York
Performance in collaboration with Cheeseburger

2003
New Humans installation and performance, Color Séance, Maccarone Inc., New York. Organized by Sherman Magazine.

New Humans in Olav Westphalen's Blimp Derby Invitational 2003,Sculpture Center, LIC, New York

Select Press/Print

- Cain, Nick, New Humans - AKA, Wire, 291, 2008. recording review

- Sonnenborn, Katie, New Humans, Frieze, 2007. exhibition review

- Ventur, Conrad, New Humans, USELESS, Issue 5 2007. interview with Mika Tajima

- Ed Pinsent, New Humans, The Sound Projector, Issue 15, 2007. review Disassociate

- Momus, The iceberg listens, melts, 8/06, review of Disassociate

- H., the hypothetical brave new world, 8/06, review

- Nordschow, Randy, New Music Box/American Music Center, 7/06 review of Disassociate

- imomus, 4/06 on Whitney Museum performance

- Ridge, Tom, New Humans (review), Wire, 9/05

- Baumes, Ben. New Humans (review), Repellentzine, 6/21/05

- Giattino, Gabrielle. "Ones to Watch: New Humans", Artkrush,Issue #04. 4/17-23/05

- The Museum as Amplifier, Domus Issue 881, 5/05.

- Ritter, P. Lost and Found, City Pages Minneapolis, 5/20/05

- Nordschow, Randy.You Must be Free: New Humans (review), New Music Box/American Music Center, 5/05

- Backstorm, Fia. New Humans, Lesser New York (exhibition pub.), 3/17/05

- Conte, Kari.Audio/Video (exhibition pub.), Apex Art, 2/05.

- Laster, Paul.Flavorspy: New Humans (interview), Flavorpill, 9/05

- After the Riots, Repellentzine, 9/05

- Laster, Paul.Creative Protest, Flavorpill, 9/05

- "Gavin Brown's Passerby," Flash Artonline.com, 5/04.

- Armetta, Amoreen. "Along for the ride," Time Out New York, 3/11-18/04.