On Islands

On Islands is an experimental, interactive sculpture and instrumental sound installation. The community is encouraged to touch and discover sounds through playful expression as if being left alone on an island. As May is mental health awareness month, this installation is dedicated to those of us who struggle with a turbulent psyche.

Travis Apel of Omaha, Nebraska, received Best 3D Award for 2022 ARTELATINX Biennial. In 2020 Apel earned a People’s Choice Award for public sculpture at Art on the Campus in West Des Moines, Iowa. Affiliated with Amplify Arts in Omaha, Apel was a member of Alternate Currents Working Group in 2020. A mid-career artist, Apel worked through residencies at Hot Shops Art Center, Kimmel Harding Nelson Arts Center, El Museo Latino, and Mayflower Mobile Gallery. Apel attended the Kansas City Art Institute from 1994-96 and exhibited throughout the midwest, Louisana, New England, with work in private collections nationwide.

Mictlantecuhtli (El Otro Lado) 

Mictlantecuhtli (El Otro Lado) is more than an artistic creation; it is a piece with a rich history, symbolizing the god’s refusal to be forgotten. By reviving this ancient deity, the project engages in an act of decolonization, embracing Mexicanidad and exploring the interactive realms between astral planes through the sculpture’s percussive & sound synthesis elements. The sculpture becomes a conduit for participants to connect with precolonial times, sparking reflections on identity, migration, and the human experience. Through interactive engagement with the percussive sculpture, individuals partake in a profound dialogue with Mictlantecuhtli, fostering an intimate connection with the past and the complexities of Mexican culture.

Mictlán Collective is David Manzanarez, Jose Trujillo (Sener), and Jay Kreimer, exploring sound sculpture & postdigital art.

David, a Oaxacan indigenous artist in the Midwest, focuses on figurative sculpture reflecting identity, migration, and human experiences. He also engages in public art promoting equity and unity.

Jay Kreimer, a musician, instrument maker, sculptor, composer, and educator, creates innovative pieces from reclaimed materials. His performances span Europe, including Dublin, Cork, London, Glasgow, Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris, and Beijing's D-22 venue.

Sener, a sound and visual artist from Silao, Mexico, now based in Omaha, explores post-digital art. Operating from a thriving studio in Benson Creative District, he delves into trans-digitalism and the transformative impact of sound on consciousness.

Alters

Alters began as an early attempt to synthesize a physical connection between object, listener, and space. Drawing on the idea of an altar being a place to sacrifice or worship, I chose to honor the cow, an animal my extended family raises. Without the cow, my family wouldn't be able to survive and grow. Many recent generations living under capitalism have lost a spiritual connection to sacrifice, whether it is through food, vegetation, or labor. I'd like this piece to reflect on what has had to end so that our lifestyle may continue. 

"Noise does not accompany me but swallows me, in its loud tones or compulsive smaller sounds it reins my sonic self, as I become part of it."

- Salome Voegelin, Listening to Noise and Silence

Alex Jacobsen creates engaging soundworks utilizing computers, synthesizers, feedback, and guitar. His body of work encompasses sound poetry, listening walks, performances, sculpture, and installations. Through these forms, Alex explores sound's relationship to memory, corporeality, and architecture. Alex's work has been featured across the United States, Mexico, and Europe, including Quarantine Concert Series, Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, Ex Nihilo Festival, and Radiophrenia Art Festival. Extending beyond his solo endeavors, he has collaborated with a number of dance/film projects. He is currently a fellow of Amplify Arts’ Alternate Currents Working Group.

cor ne edito; eat not the heart

cor ne edito; eat not the heart is an exploration of heart and mind, wondering and wandering. As human beings whose biological instinct is to survive no matter what, we will often choose comfort, even if that means never branching out from what is familiar and feels safe. Our roots as humans run deep, and we often find ourselves rooted in patterns that both comfort and destroy us again and again. Even what makes us feel best isn't always what's best for us. Does it cause more fear to leave the place you've been stuck in and confront new horizons, or to remain close to what's "home", no matter how at home you actually feel there? The same fire that keeps us from freezing can also burn us down in the end. 

Lillian Kraft is a musician who finds freedom in improvisation and experimentation. They grew up playing classical piano, and fell in love with jazz and other genres while studying music in college. Lillian loves to collaborate with other musicians and artists, and finds joy in the community that is built through these avenues. When she has free time, she loves to explore nature, hang out with her cats and dogs, and travel. Lillian is always striving to try new things, because we are never fully done learning.

Do/Not

The difficulty with making any art is that you can't force people to look at it with the same clarity as the original artist. Doubly so for art that begs for interaction. When creating this small sample of music, I felt satisfied with the result, except I had forgotten to include the level of interactivity I had initially planned. I changed a few aspects of the song and made it alterable through different controls placed around the room, allowing listeners to create their own clarity by becoming participants in the art itself.

Nick Spencer is an audio designer, composer, and instrumentalist from Omaha, Nebraska. Nick holds a Bachelor of Music degree with an emphasis on Music Technology (University of Nebraska at Omaha) and a Master of Music in Music Technology degree with an emphasis in Game Audio (Southern Utah University).  Before completing his studies in Nebraska, Nick founded and directed UNO's TAPEnsemble. Here, he composed and performed unique works of electronic media. Nick currently lives in Omaha, where he tries his best to rationalize his audio gear addiction to his very patient wife, daughter, and cat.

The Understory

Several meters below the bottom of the canopy of a forest is The Understory. Things I Tell You invite you to immerse yourself in The Understory, where nature intertwines with ambient music, captivating visual projections provided by David Carney, and a symphony of creative lighting. As you enter this immersive installation, you're transported to a realm where the organic and digital blur, inviting you to explore the interconnectedness of all living things. The music is created using plants’ energy mixed with modern electronics to mimic the rhythms of nature. Each note resonates with the energy of the environment, creating a harmony that fills the space. It's a place to pause, to reflect, and to reconnect with the rhythms of the Earth.

Things I Tell You is comprised of Becki Murabito, and Tres Johnson. Becki plays a theremin, and Tres uses synths controlled by house plants. Together they create ambient soundscapes.