A collaboration of Erie and regional artists have come together to raise resources and awareness for the conflict taking place in Gaza in the Middle East.
Ethan Hayden, the founding director of Erie record label Infrasonic Press, said he saw what was taking place in Palestine and wanted to create a project that brought together local and regional artists to express solidarity with Palestine.
“I grew up following these DIY punk labels and some of them would put out these benefit compilations or charity compilations,” Hayden said. “It was something I always had in the back of my head. With the genocidal acts in Gaza taking place in the spring of this year, I thought it was a good time to move forward with this project and target it towards this issue and see what happens.”
‘Rust Belt Artists Against Genocide’
From this need, Hayden began “Rust Belt Artists Against Genocide,” a multimedia project benefiting two organizations, Doctors Without Borders and their emergency relief fund providing immediate medical and surgical relief for people suffering from wounds encountered in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas conflict, and the Palestinian Youth Movement that provides emergency aid to people suffering in Gaza.
The project consists of a compilation album with 24 tracks, a booklet that is both in physical and digital format featuring art and writing from 18 regional artists, and a short film featuring dozens of artists expressing solidarity with Palestine.
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Hayden began the collaboration in May and told artists they had until August to submit their works. The project was then put together in September and released on Oct. 15.
Artists coming together for a cause
The 24 tracks on the album element of the project were composed by 21 rust belt-based bands, musicians and artists mainly located in areas including Erie, Pittsburgh and Buffalo.
The goal of the project is to raise resources for organizations supporting Gaza with artists creating an incentive for people to donate to the two organizations.
“One of the featured artists is Nibal Abd El Karim, who is an Erie-based Palestinian singer,” Hayden said. “She recorded four traditional Palestinian songs that are featured and scattered throughout the compilation.”
The project also features Erie-based spoken word artist Niecey Nicole. This album is her recorded debut and she’s working on a full album of what she calls melodic speech that will reportedly come out in a year or so.
Another Erie artist is Judy Ghost, whose real name is Alex Anthist. She recorded a piece called “Doomsday Clock of Atomic Scientists.”
“One of the most emotionally jarring pieces on the compilation is by Kingdom of Sticks; that’s a project of Anthony Carson,” Hayden said. “The last Erie-based artist is Shadow Plea, which is Dave Tamulonis’ ambient project. He released an ambient piece called ‘Ibrahim, Sunlight Streaming through the Windows Illuminating Dust,’ which is dedicated to a child who died in Gaza before his first birthday. Then I’ve been involved in a few other pieces with bands. There are a few more bands which have an Erie-based artist within them.”
Who ‘Rust Belt Artists Against Genocide’ benefits
Doctors Without Borders and the Palestinian Youth Movement will receive all funds from the project, according to Infrasonic Press.
These organizations were chosen by the record label due to their impactful work and causes while supporting immediate and large-scale needs.
“When I was considering how we can support this work, they were two of the organizations that made the most sense,” Hayden said. “Doctors Without Borders, specifically their emergency relief fund, they are providing immediate medical and surgical relief for folks suffering from all of the wounds encountered. Then the Palestinian Youth Movement is more on the activist side of things. They are an organization made up of Palestinians in Palestine but also a part of the larger Palestinian diaspora who are advocating for an end to occupation.”
Where can you find this project?
While Hayden said he is aiming to work with more local bookstores to make the physical book available in Erie, the finished product can be found online at infrasonicpress.com. This is where digital editions can be purchased for $8, while booklets are $18. All profits will be split evenly between the two organizations, Hayden said.
The print booklet will also be available in the Feed Media Arts Center at 1307 State St.
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“I think people who engage with music on the compilation, the works in the booklets or the artists from the short film will find very diverse voices,” Hayden said. “We all came together in the spirit in opposing the war, but the ways that we do that are very different. Some people’s work is very inspirational and hopeful. Other people are very angry and disconsolate. All of those different approaches are different ways of contributing to the discourse that can provide illumination and new ways that people can think of the larger issue in Palestine.”
Contact Nicholas Sorensen at Nsorensen@gannett.com.
