Allen Moore

Artist in Residence2022Music compositionPerformanceArchitecture

Dec 20

he/him

Allen Moore | Artist in Residence 2023 | Courtesy of Artist

Allen Moore was born in the historic village of Robbins, Illinois. He emphasizes the importance of nurturing the Black Imagination with social representation throughout his practice in experimental visual art, music, and makerspace/DIY teaching. Recently, he is making hand-cast records, paintings, and sculptures from organic matter, that he puts in dialogue with overlayed sounds from the records, voice recordings, and Black soul, jazz, and hip-hop samples. He is interested in how these Black Culture signifiers connect viewers to underlying racial, emotional and socio-economic conditions, and using them as tools to create space for advocacy, creative representation, and healing.

The Fellowship Project

HCL proudly supports Allen Moore in the ongoing development of The Black Arcade Collaborative, a groundbreaking audio and visual exploration delving into themes of grief, black mortality, afrofuturism, and the sonic aesthetic of the black imagination. The project encompasses a multifaceted approach, incorporating the merging of sound and visual elements.

The initial phase involves an in-depth refinement and documentation of Allen's studio practice. Simultaneously, he will spearhead regular collaborations within the experimental music community. Allen will curate a multimedia record release, or 'mixtape', drawing inspiration from these collaborations, as well as from his extensive field recordings and interviews gathered over six years. This release is scheduled for 2024.

Furthermore, in 2024 Allen will work on a new multimedia venture titled Tormentia. This project will push the boundaries of audio-visual storytelling with projection mapping and animation, offering a visceral experience that challenges perceptions of reality, mortality, grief and sanity.

The Black Arcade: Grief in Stereo | Jam Session #3 | Photo by Mallory Qiu

*Solo Exhibition at Cleaner Gallery + Projects: A Vibe Called Death: The Black Afterlife,* 2022 | Courtesy of Artist

Allen Moore presenting his work at Impromptu Fest 2023 | Photo by Amy Wurtz

The Initial Project

In 2023, HCL supported Allen in establishing The Black Arcade Collaborative as an audio and visual exploration of grief, black mortality, afrofuturism and the sonic aesthetic of the black imagination.

Throughout 2023, Allen organizing regular workshops with and for the experimental music field. This included both invitations to peers to share his studio time with HCL to create new compositions through collaborative processes, as well as three public Black Arcade: Grief in Stereo Jam Sessions. In December 2023, Allen released _1984, a biographical “sonic tapestry” inspired by and dedicated to the cherished memories of departed family members.

About the Artist

Allen Moore is a Black American interdisciplinary painter, experimental sound artist, educator, youth mentor and curator. He holds a BA from Chicago State University, an MA from Governors State University, and an MFA from Northern Illinois University. He has exhibited and performed across Chicago such as at Heaven Gallery, Compound Yellow, Experimental Sound Studio, Elastic Arts, The Museum of Contemporary Art, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Roots & Culture Gallery, Union Street Gallery, and Museum of Science and Industry, and is a volunteer staff member for the A.C.R.E. Artist Residency and Comfort Station in Logan Square.

For more information, visit Allen’s website.