CYLAND MediaArtLab hosted a lecture/performance by sound artist Maria Chavez on November 9, 2016 in St. Petersburg. The event, was co-organized with the CEC Artslink where Maria is currently the artist in residence, will take place at GES-21 (Pushkinskaya 10).
The lecture combined a lecture with a performance of recorded sounds from vinyl records with the electroacoustic sounds of vinyl and needle in various deteriorating phases. This approach merges the practice of improvisation with the inherent unstable conditions of a turntable, allowing accidents to dictate each sound piece. Audience members will be invited to try different techniques.
Born in Lima, Peru, Maria Chávez is known as an abstract turntablist, sound artist and DJ. Accidents, coincidence and failures are themes that unite her sound sculptures, installations and other works with her solo turntable performance practice.
Currently, Maria is a research fellow with the Sound Practice Research Department of Goldsmith’s University of London where she teaches the values of chance and rejection in one’s art practice. This year, she has given lectures/ workshops about failure, improvisation, multi-channel installation practice for RISD, Stony Brook University, the Contemporary Arts Museum-Houston, Berklee College-Valencia, Spain amongst others.
In 2016, Maria has presented installation and performance works for the JUDD Foundation in Marfa, TX, Civitella Ranieri Foundation in Umbertide, Italy, Museo Centre del Carmen-Valencia, Spain and the Cervantes Institute in NYC. In 2017, Maria will be a fellow with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation in Captiva, Florida in 2017.