How would you describe the central themes or messages in your art practice?
-My practice focuses on the research and study of sound and acoustics. I am inspired by the search for new possibilities to listen and envision our existence in relation to the earth and nature. The exploration and development of knowledge through oral history, aural memory , and the sound map of places, times, and their inhabitants (human and more than human) are key aspects.
All from a positive point of view and far from the catastrophic discourse. A search for new narratives that envision the possibilities for near futures, more focused on the community, far from the individual vision, and with an emphasis on situated knowledge as a starting point. In this case , an approach to situated listening, understanding that it is impossible to move forward without listening to our surroundings.
Can you tell us about your creative process? How does an idea become a finished piece?
-Right now, my work is influenced by a deep connection and reflection on the soundscape surrounding me, based on the practice of active listening.
Reflecting on various collapses in the world, our society, and the ecosystem, leads me to approach my practice in diverse ways, aiming to connect and generate empathy, establishing a deeper connection with our environment. These projects, interventions, sound compositions, and actions are intended to be shared with the community.
My method: I draw a lot, especially in the initial part when I have an idea. It's like I need to have an image of the piece or project I have in mind. Maybe it's because I studied architecture, and there the ideas usually always start from a sketch (although it would be fantastic to describe a building with words... but normally the image is the starting point). I always carry a pocket notebook with me and if not, then I take written or voice notes on my phone.
Having someone trustworthy to share your ideas and receive feedback from is crucial for me.
My work requires a lot of reading and research time. It then goes to the studio if it's music or sound, or to the workshop if it's more about construction and getting my hands dirty with different materials. I tend to imagine each piece in detail, so the feeling that a piece is finished comes down to how much it resembles what I had in my head. Something I like a lot is that although each piece or project is born and developed at a certain time, I try to see my work as nonlinear. It is more like a circle, in which the works are not from the past or the present, but can and do reactivate themselves, sometimes many years later. Like a cycle.
What is one project or piece that holds special significance to you, and why?
-I am very fond of the works and pieces I do outside the studio, especially when I travel for a project, and I am in a new, different or remote place. Last year I went on an extensive trip through China in rural areas and from this experience came an extensive body of work, so much so that I am still making several pieces with all the material and all the field recordings I did.
How has the integration of technology influenced your work or artistic vision?
-For a long time, it influenced my work. The creation of sound art projects and the composition of experimental music are very much based on technology, sometimes on machines, gadgets, and tools. But little by little, I have realized that my projects had that heavy technological component very present, and in recent years, I have been distancing myself from it.
I can say that my work has shifted from music to sound and has ultimately focused on listening. It seems like it should be the other way around, but I believe that a bit of maturity is needed to understand that listening should be the starting point. For me, right now, technology is useful, but I value more an ecological approach to production methods and the opportunity to work with the senses.
How do you see the concept of “authorship” evolving with the rise of AI and digital tools in art?
-Great topic! And one that I have explored in depth in various forums I have participated in, which have attempted to glimpse the future of art and artists with the rapid evolution of AI.
The truth is that the subject of authorship, in particular, is not an issue that worries me much. I think that the artists who make a living from a recognized name are very few, and they are the ones who can be most affected... these BIG names.
Artistic practice has diversified a lot these days. These last few years, I have been teaching classes and workshops, something that I had not planned and that has been unexpected. However, given my experience in the field of sound, it has happened. I think that many artists are diversifying and working in a mix of fields that do not only have to do with an art market in which the signature and a name are what is important.
What drew you to apply for this residency?
-My first assignment as a student at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Barcelona was about Hokusai and Ukiyo-e. It was very inspiring and I think foundational. When I read about the residence call, I thought it would be very interesting to reconnect and study this old friend again, and I found it super interesting to do so from the perspective of technology and AI. I have often wondered what Hokusai's works would sound like, and I think this is a good opportunity to
explore it.
What do you hope to achieve or explore during your time in this residency, and what impact do you want your work to have on viewers?
-I think this residency will be very experimentation-based, so I see it as a kind of laboratory. I hope to connect not only with the viewers but also with the listeners.
How do you envision artificial intelligence as a collaborator in your creative process?
-Yes, I think the key is in the question when you refer to the AI as a "collaborator. " It is a very accurate description, as it is more than a tool; it is a kind of entity created from the use and processing of a large amount of DATA from our humanity.
Therefore, I think it is crucial that AI diversify, expand, reflect, and imagine realities that resonate with many people, ethnicities, places, beliefs, and worlds, and not be a reflection of a biased world.
What advice would you give to emerging artists navigating the intersections of art, technology, and the digital space?
-I think it is important to keep in mind that technology and AI are not abstract entities that float in the air as clouds, and manifest themselves in digital formats in our computers, phones, and devices, but that technology has a strong material and energetic presence beneath its surface.
With this in mind, I think it would be interesting if the world of digital creation and its intersection with art could imagine new cosmologies that expand our humanity and move away from anthropocentrism. To encourage an exploration of the senses beyond sight, and that technology, together with creativity and artistic representation, could envision new and transversal ways of living among us, in community, and in harmony with our surroundings.