Morgan Bassichis

{{Infobox artist

| name = Morgan Bassichis

| other_names =

| image =

| training =

| birth_date = 1983

| birth_place = Newton, MA

| alma_mater =

| field =

| website = {{URL|www.morganbassichis.com}}

}}

Morgan Bassichis (born 1983) is an American comedic performer and writer, living and working in New York City.{{cite web |title=[WORLD PREMIERE] Morgan Bassichis and Ethan Philbrick: Klezmer for Beginners |url=https://www.abronsartscenter.org/program/world-premiere-morgan-bassichis-klezmer-for-beginners/ |website=Abrons Arts Center |access-date=2019-04-11 |archive-date=2019-04-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411220242/https://www.abronsartscenter.org/program/world-premiere-morgan-bassichis-klezmer-for-beginners/ |url-status=dead }}

Early life

Bassichis was born in Newton, MA in 1983.{{Cite web|url=https://www.whitney.org/exhibitions/2019-Biennial?section=4|title=Partial View: Whitney Biennial 2019|website=www.whitney.org|language=en|access-date=2019-09-24}} Bassichis actively participated in theater growing up. Their parents were progressive social workers.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thenation.com/article/morgan-bassichis-jewish-klezmer-progressive/|title=Morgan Bassichis's Haunted American Songbook|last=Brostoff|first=Marissa|journal=The Nation|date=2019-05-23|access-date=2019-09-24|language=en-US|issn=0027-8378|archive-date=2019-07-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719213232/https://www.thenation.com/article/morgan-bassichis-jewish-klezmer-progressive/|url-status=dead}}

They inherited political zeal and musical taste from their mother.{{Cite news|last=Brostoff|first=Marissa|date=2019-05-23|title=Morgan Bassichis's Haunted American Songbook|journal=The Nation|language=en-US|url=https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/morgan-bassichis-jewish-klezmer-progressive/|access-date=2020-07-01|issn=0027-8378}} After graduating from college, they worked for ten years as an anti-prison activist and educator in San Francisco.{{Cite news|last=Brostoff|first=Marissa|date=2019-05-23|title=Morgan Bassichis's Haunted American Songbook|journal=The Nation|language=en-US|url=https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/morgan-bassichis-jewish-klezmer-progressive/|access-date=2020-07-01|issn=0027-8378}}

Politics

Bassichis is active in the anti-Zionist group Jewish Voice for Peace.[https://www.tickettailor.com/events/blackjewishalliance/1136296 Black-Jewish Alliance in Conversation: Jewish Radical Futures]

Artistic practice

=Performances=

Can I Be Frank? - La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club - Directed by Sam Pinkleton - (2024)
A Crowded Field - Abrons Arts Center - (2023)
Questions to Ask Beforehand - Bridget Donahue Gallery - Directed by Tina Satter - (2022)
Don't Rain On My Bat Mitzvah - Creative Time - Rashid Johnson's Red Stage - Co-created with Ira Khonen Temple - (July 4, 2021)
Nibbling the Hand That Feeds Me - 2019 Whitney Biennial - curated by Rujeko Hockley and Jane Panetta{{Cite web|url=https://hyperallergic.com/486562/whitney-museum-announces-2019-biennial-participants-but-one-artist-withdraws/|title=Whitney Museum Announces 2019 Biennial Participants, But One Artist Withdraws|date=2019-02-26|website=Hyperallergic|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-08}}
Klezmer for Beginners - Abrons Arts Center - Co-created with Ethan Philbrick - (2019)
Damned If You Duet - The Kitchen - (2018){{cite web |title=The Kitchen: Morgan Bassichis: Damned If You Duet |url=https://thekitchen.org/event/morgan-bassichis-damned-if-you-duet |website=thekitchen.org}}
More Protest Songs! - Danspace Project - (2018)
Me But Also Everybody (Part IV) - Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden - (2018){{cite web |title=Morgan Bassichis, Me But Also Everybody (Part IV) (2018) |url=https://hirshhorn.si.edu/event/morgan-bassichis-me-but-also-everybody-part-iv-2018-2018-07-20/ |website=Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden {{!}} Smithsonian |language=en |access-date=2019-04-11 |archive-date=2019-04-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411223245/https://hirshhorn.si.edu/event/morgan-bassichis-me-but-also-everybody-part-iv-2018-2018-07-20/ |url-status=dead }}
The Faggots & Their Friends Between Revolutions: The Musical - the New Museum - (2017){{cite web |title=Morgan Bassichis: The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions The Musical, Pt. I |url=https://www.newmuseum.org/calendar/view/1231/morgan-bassichis-the-faggots-and-their-friends-between-revolutions-the-musical |website=www.newmuseum.org |language=en}}
Senior Energy - Portland Institute for Contemporary Art - (2017){{cite web |title=Morgan Bassichis and Senior Energy |url=http://pica.org/event/morgan-bassichis-senior-energy/ |website=PICA |language=en |access-date=2019-04-11 |archive-date=2019-04-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411220239/http://pica.org/event/morgan-bassichis-senior-energy/ |url-status=dead }}
Me, But Also Everybody! (Part 1-III) - MoMA PS1 - (2015){{cite web |title=MoMA PS1: Greater New York: Morgan Bassichis Me, But Also Everybody! (Part II) : Thursday, December 10, 2015 |url=https://momaps1.org/calendar/view/606 |website=momaps1.org |access-date=April 11, 2019 |archive-date=March 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324171853/https://momaps1.org/calendar/view/606 |url-status=dead }}

=Grants, residencies, & awards=

Robert Rauschenberg Foundation - 2017 Resident{{cite web |title=Past Residents |url=https://www.rauschenbergfoundation.org/residency/past-residents |website=Robert Rauschenberg Foundation |language=en |date=15 October 2014}}
Art Matters Foundation - 2015 Grantee{{cite web |title=Morgan Bassichis |url=https://artmattersfoundation.org/texts/morgan-bassichis |website=Art Matters Foundation |language=en}}
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council - 2015 Process Space Artist{{cite web |last1=Studio |first1=Familiar |title=Morgan Bassichis |url=https://movementresearch.org/people/morgan-bassichis |website=Movement Research |language=en |date=11 April 2019 |access-date=11 April 2019 |archive-date=11 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411220240/https://movementresearch.org/people/morgan-bassichis |url-status=dead }}

= Writing =

The Odd Years (Wendy's Subway, 2020){{Cite web|last=Rodney|first=Seph|date=2020-10-09|title=Documenting These Last Few Years In Order to Survive Them|url=https://hyperallergic.com/593206/morgan-bassichis-odd-years-review-wendys-subway/|access-date=2021-02-27|website=Hyperallergic|language=en-US}}
Essay in the 2019 edition of The Faggots & Their Friends Between Revolutions (Nightboat Books){{Cite web|date=2019-06-28|title=Faggots, Dykes, and Fairies: Welcome to the world of "The Faggots & Their Friends Between Revolutions"|url=https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/faggots-dykes-and-fairies-welcome-to-the-world-of-the-faggots-their-friends-between-revolutions|access-date=2021-02-27|website=Interview Magazine|language=en-US}}
co-ed. Questions to Ask Before Your Bat Mitzvah (Wendy's Subway, 2023)[https://www.wendyssubway.com/publishing/titles/questions-to-ask-before-your-bat-mitzvah Questions to Ask Before Your Bat Mitzvah] on the publisher's website