Ben Shirken (Ex Wiish f.k.a. Beshken), is an artist, musician, recording/mixing engineer and curator living in Brooklyn, NYC. His debut record as Ex Wiish, Shards of Axel, was released in 2023 on Anthony Naples’ Incienso Records. He has performed at spaces such as Pioneer Works, WSA, New Museum (Rhizome), Dripping Music And Arts Festival, NYC Winter Jazz Fest, Public Records, Cafe Oto, Trauma Bar, Station Gare Des Mines, Long Play Festival, Hyperreality Festival and Nowadays. A graduate of NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Record music, Shirken is the founder of record label & performance series 29 Speedway. Featuring improvisational electronic music, multichannel sound installations and live multimedia performances, 29S has has hosted artists such as Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe, James Hoff, Poncili Creación, Young Boy Dancing Group, Evichshen, Flora Yin-Wong, UMFANG, Kamran Sadeghi, Debit, AceMo, Pent, James K and various other New York-based experimental artists. Shirken is also the cofounder of studio 5950.exp based in Ridgewood, Queens. He has worked on 50+ projects for Red Bull, Sony, RCA, MTV, Ermenegildo Zegna, Benjamin Bratton's Antikythera, The Dare, Boiler Room, Future Classic, NNA Tapes, and Splice. 

Ben also produces for and plays modular synths in cult free jazz group Nu Jazz with Dan Orlowski of electronic hardcore staple Deli Girls, Jason Lindner of Bowie’s Blackstar Orchestra, and four other players in the NYC scene. He has also released 2 full length records and multiple EPs as Beshken, djing often at The Lot Radio and on NTS. Recently, his personal practice has involved working with Max MSP, AI, and modular synths to develop multichannel audio installations and realtime AI tools, compose soundscapes, and design immersive a/v performances. He has occasionally transformed these soundscapes into extended universes; performances have ranged from an laser projections to live improvised dance. His work has been featured in Art Basel, Document Journal, Resident Advisor, Dazed, The Line Of Best Fit, Billboard, Office, and Artnet.
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