Ham Kicker is an exhibition of collaborative musical work. It was born from the contention that most modern musicians work too independently, and that their work consequentially suffers.
Many different components comprise a typical recorded song. A poem, a melody, a performance—each requires talent, training, and effort. Most musicians do it all, though they are strong with only one or two components. Maybe you can think of a musician who writes boring melodies but with poetry that really catches your attention. Perhaps you are so floored by the way another musician composes melodies, that you can ignore his or her trite lyrics. Or maybe you are captivated by the way a good singer brings a simple love song to life with subtleties. These are artists who have done what was necessary to be heard, but they have reached beyond their aptitudes and experience. They should work together.
Ham Kicker provides a channel for artists who want to specialize in one or two components of musical work. By encouraging collaboration, Ham Kicker aspires to give a voice to the more specialized artists out there—artists whose valuable skills have gone unnoticed because they cannot or wish not to do everything themselves. Work is displayed here in dissected, transparent form so that audiences can better recognize the distinct contributions of each artist, and better understand the deliberate choices that have been made.