Lead support for John Zorn: Hermetic Cartography is provided by Stephen Cheng. Generous funding is provided by Anthony B. Creamer III, Alex Mony, and David Nuss and Sarah Martin-Nuss.
Known predominantly as a groundbreaking figure in New York’s avant-garde and experimental music scenes, John Zorn has long been celebrated for his radical innovations in music. However, his abstract drawings—a private language of symbols and notations—have remained a closely guarded secret. Offering profound insight into Zorn’s creative mind, Hermetic Cartography reveals a new dimension of his artistic practice by showcasing works on paper that span seven decades of his visionary engagement with mark-making, improvisation, and the esoteric.
The exhibition includes a diverse array of Zorn’s visual artworks, graphic scores, dense philosophical notations, abstract poetry and artist books, and not only highlights Zorn’s radical approach to marks on paper but also his unique Theatre of Musical Optics and other experimental projects. By exploring these visual elements, the exhibition provides a new perspective on how Zorn's abstract works intersect with and inform his musical compositions.
John Zorn: Hermetic Cartography is accompanied by a series of musical performances curated by Zorn that will be performed in the exhibition. Performances will be held from 7:30 - 9pm on the first Saturday of each month (March - May, 2025) and will be free and open to the public.
John Zorn: Hermetic Cartography is organized by Olivia Shao, Burger Collection and TOY Meets Art Curator and Jay Sanders, Executive Director and Chief Curator, Artists Space.
Digital Guide
Explore this exhibition further online using our digital guide, available for free as part of the Bloomberg Connects app. By downloading the app on your mobile device, you can discover other exhibition guides, drawing activities, and educational resources.