Think art is boring? Well, you’re wrong. Art can be manifested through just about any medium today so there’s bound to be something the average high school student would enjoy. Check out these featured contemporary artists and hopefully you’ll find that art can be a lot more exciting than you previously believed.

Those privileged enough to have experienced a Lucky Dragons concert know that the sounds made are far more than simply music. Generally performing at art galleries rather than concert venues, the Lucky Dragons live experience is different in that the individuals attending are not there to simply listen to the music performed but are actually part of the music’s creation. Using a method and technology developed by the group, concertgoers produce the glitches, synth lines and stuttering beats signature of Lucky Dragons by holding hands to transfer data from one person to another. This collective experience is part of an interactive project that the group calls “Make a Baby.”


The duo, composed of members Luke Fishbeck and Sara Rara, are described as not so much musicians but as artists who utilize music as a medium to create art. Many of their songs are available for download on their website (www.hawksandsparrows.org). But be prepared, this music is, paradoxically, literally the antithesis of music. It’s not intended to be merely listenable and it certainly ignores the generally defined parameters of what constitutes song construction or melody.

Take, for instance, the skipping sounds that emit at the beginning of the song “Mercy” or the crackling shrieks that open “Jean’s Theme.” The group’s innovation lies in their malleable grasp of music, producing what is, essentially, aural art.

As most of their songs are computer-generated samplings of random beats, songs, etc., the group is able to release long compilations several times a year so there is a plethora of their material to peruse. More intriguing is the fact that Lucky Dragons release their work under a Creative Commons License, allowing any individual to sample, alter, and utilize their music for their own work. Lucky Dragons create art that is a cooperative experience, letting the public incorporate Lucky Dragons’ work in other creations and founding a collective live performance.