Maria Chavez

Born in Lima, Peru and based in NYC, Maria Chávez is best known as an abstract turntablist, sound artist and DJ. Coincidence, chance & failures are themes that unite her book objects, sound sculptures, installations & other works with her improvised solo turntable performance practice. Her latest album, “Maria Chavez PLAYS Stefan Goldmann’s Ghost hemiola” was nominated for a Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik in Jan. of 2020.

Currently, Maria is on the cover of the textbook on the History of Experimental & Electronic music by Routledge Publishing, is a David Tudor and Robert Rauschenberg Arts Fellow and a Research Fellow for Goldsmith's Sound Practice Research Department (2015-17). Her large scale sound & multi-media installations along with other works have been shown at the Getty Museum, the JUDD Foundation, Documenta 14 in Kassel, Germany and HeK (Haus der elektronischen Künste Basel) amongst many other institutions around the world. She is currently an artist in residence with EMPAC (The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center) until 2022 and her latest sound installation, Staggered Shifts, 2021 is now on view at BRIC Arts for their "Latin Abstract" painting exhibition from Jan. - May 2021. 

Maria is also a Toulmin Fellow, is remote artist in residence with The Hague’s Rewire Festival in the Netherlands this Spring 2021 . She will be releasing new recordings with collaborators Sandy Ewen & Devin Kenny later this year via OrbTapes, SN Variations & Ballastnvp. Her latest album with Jordi Wheeler via Cafe Oto’s Takeroku label is now available as is her cassette release with collaborator Lucas Gorham via Ratskin Records which was released in the fall of 2020. Maria will be a guest faculty with Bard University’s Sound Art MFA department for the summer of 2021.

She is currently on a medical sabbatical due to receiving brain surgery in Feb. 2019 and will return to performing for the public in 2022-23. She appreciates everyone's patience and compassion during this difficult time.