tune in to elastic arts!

This month’s CLEAT Series features solo performances from Veronica Anne Salinas, Hugo Flores Garcia, Ishmael Ali. Ishmael will present solo cello and electronics in 4 voices. This project explores the relationship between acoustic and electronic sounds using interplay between cello, sp404 sampler, a synth voice, and radio automated through CLEAT's 16 channel system.

Hugo Flores García (he/they) is a Honduran computer musician, improviser, programmer, and scientist. Hugo approaches his craft with a deep curiosity for the interplay between natural and human-made sonic environments and interactions. Their hybrid research+creative practice centers around building new instruments for creative expression, focusing on artist-centered machine-learning interfaces for the sound arts. Hugo will perform with (un)sound objects, a co-creative neural musical instrument for constructing live environments comprised of sonic objects, both sound and unsound, in and at the rough edges of an AI model's learned distribution.

Veronica Anne Salinas is a Chicago-based sound artist, writer, editor, and Deep Listener. Her work explores artistic research through sound, text scores, performance, improvisation, geomancy, field recordings, archives, soundwalks, and experimental narratives.

Elastic Arts, in partnership with Funkadesi & Strategic Inclusion Consulting,  through a generous #HealingIllinois grant, is hosting this FREE experiential 3-hour workshop. This guided session will curate activities to help participants find voice in sharing stories that reflect identity, experiences, and ancestral journeys. No previous writing/performing experience required - just a desire to further explore self-understanding and self-expression. Activities by gifted and caring facilitators will help identify and demystify the building blocks of creative expression. Co-led by emcee, educator, healer & spoken word artist PHENOM with comedian and storyteller Sonal Aggarwal, this is an empowering session that affirms each participant’s unique background and experience. The workshop will culminate with a collective spoken word piece to be performed collaboratively with participants and artists. Musical and facilitation support by Dr. Rahul Sharma. 

The Elastro series has an incredibly special event planned for March. agua viva is a collective performance by Elise Butterfield, Sofía Gabriel, Anna Johnson, Jonty Paul, and Veronica Anne Salinas that weaves together sound, movement, and live video processing. agua viva draws inspiration from the natural flow of water and the possibilities of the human body. Throughout the piece, the performers' improvisational movements and sound gestures are translated live into evolving visual projections. This interplay between movement, sound and visuals creates a dynamic conversation between performers and immerses the audience in an aquatic dreamscape.

We’ll also have a solo performance from Mauricio López F. and more TBA.

Rising star guitar and composer Jessica Ackerley returns to Chicago for an evening of duo and quartet performances with Midwest collaborators, building on their acclaimed hybrids of free jazz and contemporary composition.

AIRMW presents Drazek Fuscaldo with Tatsu Aoki feat. Jörg Schneider

Drazek Fuscaldo (formerly Mako Sica) is the dynamic, freeform duo Przemyslaw Krys Drazek (electric trumpet, mandolin, electric guitar) and Brent Fuscaldo (vocals, electric bass, harmonica, thumb piano, gong, percussion).  

Presenting an evening of veteran Chicago improvisers!

We are excited to announce another show:  Variants! We are bringing together four musician and mover duos, where you’ll experience movement and sound unfold in real-time dialogue. 

Fun fact: the first show that J e l l o produced at Elastic Arts in 2018 consisted of randomized mover/musician pairings! Curators, Mya McClellan and Tuli Bera are thrilled to revive this early J e l l o tradition.

Featuring sets from:

Tuli Bera and Scott Rubin
Mya McClellan and Tyler Wagner
Rahila Coats and Max Lazarus
Ashwaty Chennat and Alvin Cobb Jr.