PC 12: MARIA

Bio:
Maria is a New York-based abstract turntablist and multidisciplinary artist from Peru by way of Houston, Texas. She has pioneered a singular style of improvisation on the turntable involving perfect and destroyed vinyl and styli. She is an author, a teacher, a DJ, and an outspoken critic of the institutions of fine art of which she finds herself, against all odds, a part-- this latter characteristic is amusingly exemplified in her recent work in painting, which she expands upon in this episode.
Recording Notes:
This interview was recorded at Cafe le Gamin in Maria’s rapidly gentrifying Greenpoint neighbourhood. We met for lunch while Maria was briefly home in New York between stints in Italy, Germany, Istanbul and the Rauschenberg Captiva Residency. The chance, or accident, so fundamental to Maria’s practice turns up here in the shape of the clatter of cutlery, the city’s drony din, and the cafe’s regular custom.
I want to warmly welcome Cale Weir back to the pod, who joined me in producing the music for this episode. We worked from Maria’s autodidactic Masters Thesis, Of Technique: Chance Procedures on Turntable. Despite her kindly encouragement of our efforts, Maria may not totally approve of the results, nor of the liberties we took in attempting to execute her techniques (I cannot get away from my little digital modulators, and Cale was working with his antiquated CD-Js) but that we took her instructions in our new direction would seem to be in keeping with the spirit of her work. Truth be told, I just haven’t got the manual dexterity Maria has to grapple with the fragility of the turntable as instrument.
Links:
Artist:
Artist’s Website: www.mariachavez.org
Maria’s IG: @chavezsayz
Maria’s Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/MariaDChavez
Documenta 14: Between a Gunshot and a Whisper: https://www.documenta14.de/en/public-radio/14725/between-a-gunshot-and-a-whisper
References:
Oneohtrix Point Never’s Software Label: https://softwarelabel.bandcamp.com/
Judd Foundation Wind Instruments documentation: http://mariachavez.org/1913-2/
Every Time A Ear di Soun, a Documenta 14 Radio: https://www.documenta14.de/en/calendar/11085/every-time-a-ear-di-soun-a-documenta-14-radio-program-presentation
Gagosian: https://gagosian.com/
Pauline Oliveros: http://paulineoliveros.us/
Phil Niblock: https://phillniblock.com/
University of Texas solo show (String Room): https://www.austinchronicle.com/arts/2017-04-28/maria-chavez-string-room/
Merce Cunningham Dance Company: https://mercecunningham.org/history/
Dia: Beacon Museum: https://www.diaart.org/
Playing in a gigantic Richard Serra sculpture: https://www.diaart.org/
Jasper Jonhs: https://www.moma.org/artists/2923
Goldsmiths: https://www.gold.ac.uk/calendar/?id=11082
Resident Advisor: https://www.residentadvisor.net/
Francisco Lopez (get this man an agent!): http://www.franciscolopez.net/