Search for exotic states, BNL experiments E818 and E852

We have performed an experiment (E-818) to search for exotic states in the reaction π-p → X-p at 18 GeV/c at the Brookhaven MPS-II. The X- was detected through the sequential decay X- → f1(1285)π-; f1(1285) → K+K02π-. In the flux tube model such final states are expected from the decay of explicitly exotic JPC = 1-+ hybrid mesons. We present preliminary results of this experiment and estimates of the expected sensitivity to hybrid states. We also describe the status of a new experiment (E-852) to search for exotic mesons in both neutral and charged final states in the reactions π-p → M0 and π-p → M-p at 21 GeV/c where M is a meson decaying into photons and 0, 1 or 2 charged particles. (orig.)