Michaela Davies
Michaela Davies is an Australian artist and musician with a doctorate in psychology, and fuses these multiple disciplines in her work. Her work investigates sonic possibilities, human limits, and the nature of agency, using electric muscle stimulation and other methods to both obstruct and extend human capabilities. Over the last decade Michaela has amassed a catalogue of work around these themes, presented at galleries and festivals across the globe including the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, the Berlin Institute for Cultural Inquiry, London V&A, Experimental Intermedia New York, Currents International New Media Festival, ISEA, Mona Foma Festival Hobart, and Sonica Festival UK where she was 2013 Artist in Residence. Michaela has received a Creative Australia Fellowship from the Australia Council for the Arts, and in 2015 her work was awarded an Honorary Mention in Prix Ars Electronica (Austria) for Digital Musics & Sound Art. Michaela’s creative practice is informed by an interest in the role of psychological and physical agency in creative processes, and the liminal space between didactic execution and free interpretation inherent both in musical performance and beyond.
EDUCATION
2005 Doctor of Philosophy, University of Sydney
1996 Master of Arts, University of Sydney
1995 Bachelor of Arts with Honors I, University of Sydney
SOLO EXHIBITIONS / PERFORMANCES
2016 Sound Politics. Boston Athenaeum (Massachusetts)
2016 Yawning Room. tAd Gallery (Texas)
2015 Yawning Room. Firstdraft Gallery (Sydney)
2013 Game On. Damien Minton Gallery (Sydney)
2013 Compositions for Involuntary Strings. Tramway (Glasgow)
2010 Subsoma. Powerhouse Museum (Sydney), CSIRO (Canberra)
CURATED PROGRAMS / SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2018 Performance Contemporary, curated by Jeff Khan and Tulleah Pearce. Sydney Contemporary, Carriage Works (Sydney)
2018 Post-Life Performances, BMAB. Chao Art Centre (Beijing)
2018 Beijing Media Art Biennale, curated by Chen Xiaowan, Fei Jun, Joe Wei, Brad Miller. CAFA Museum (Beijing)
2018 Woman Between Arts, curated by Luisa Muhr. Arnhold Hall Glass Box Theatre (New York)
2018 Dr Rosenberg’s Wunderkammer, performance series, curated by Jon Rose. Delmar Gallery (Sydney)
2017 SPHERE 2017 International Symposium, City Recital Hall (Sydney)
2017 The Ort Festival, curated by Kraig Grady. Sydney Non Objective (Sydney)
2017 Vivid New Music at the Con: Michaela Davies and Veronique Serret, curated by Damien Ricketson, Sydney Conservatorium of Music
2017 Festival of Other Arts: Art That Moves, curated by Jane Theau, Workshop Arts Centre (Sydney)
2016 Engineering the Future- V&A Digital Design Week, curated by Irini Papadimitriou, Victoria and Albert Museum (London)
2016 CURRENTS: The Santa Fe International New Media Festival, curated by Parallel Studios, El Museo Culural de Santa Fe (New Mexico)
2016 STATIC + SILENCE, curated by Tim Brunigies, The Lock-Up (Newcastle)
2016 Festival Of Other Arts: Art That Moves, curated by Jane Theau, Workshop Arts Centre (Sydney)
2016 Art Month Sydney: Art at Night, Galerie pompom (Sydney)
2016 The NOW now Festival, curated by Jon Hunter, Julia Reidy, Bronwen Williams, Brooke Olsen, Del Lumanta and Clayton Thomas, 107 Projects (Sydney)
2015 Electrified Data, curated by Lanfranco Aceti and Tae Hong Park, Loewe Theatre (New York)
2015 Zepplin: Dures pedres precioses, Center of Contemporary Culture (Barcelona)
2015 Conducting The Amplified Body. with Pedro Lopes & Robert Lindenberg, Acud Macht Neu (Berlin)
2015 Immerse, curated by Gaffa Gallery, Beams Arts Festival (Sydney)
2015 Vivid Music: Musify+Gamify Concert 1, curated by Oliver Bown & Lian Loke, Everest Theatre, Seymour Centre (Sydney)
2015 Musify+Gamify Exhibition, curated by Oliver Bown & Lian Loke, Seymour Centre (Sydney)
2015 Mesmerism Festival, curated by Luke Jaaniste, Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts (Brisbane)
2014 Sonic Social, curated by Performance Space, Museum of Contemporary Art (Sydney)
2014 Maas Lates: Design Futures, Powerhouse Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (Sydney)
2014 MCA ArtBar, curated by Gail Priest, Museum of Contemporary Art (Sydney)
2014 Musical Alaska, curated by Meg Clune, Alaska Projects (Sydney)
2014 Melbourne Now, curated by Emily Siddons, National Gallery of Victoria (Melbourne)
2014 Sound Ideas, Conduit Arts (Melbourne)
2014 After Julia, curated by Cat Hope, Eugene Goosens Hall ABC Studios (Sydney)
2014 Electroscape, Art Gallery of NSW Contempo (Sydney)
2014 Performance Month, curated by Mark Shorter and Francesca Heinz, Art Space (Sydney)
2014 Black Eye Gallery First Anniversary, curated by Tom Evangelidis (Sydney)
2013 When The Room Goes Dark, ICI Berlin Institute for Cultural Inquiry (Berlin)
2013 Liebig 12 performance series (Berlin)
2013 Many Worlds closing reception, Associated Gallery (New York)
2013 Power Concert Series, curated by Tristan McKay, MSM (New York)
2013 Experimental Intermedia (New York)
2013 Dis.sentience, curated by Lian Loke, Tin Sheds Gallery (Sydney)
2013 Underbelly Arts Festival, Cockatoo Island (Sydney)
2013 Polysonics, ISEA, ABC Studios (Sydney)
2013 FBI Turns 10, Carriage Works (Sydney)
2013 Performance Month, curated by Francesca Heinz, First Draft depot (Sydney)
2013 SEAM Symposium, curated by Paul Gazzola, Critical Path (Sydney)
2012 Power Concert Series, curated by Tristan McKay, MSM (New York)
2012 Diamond Mouth Surprise, curated by Kyle Triplet & Bill Gillam, La Sala (New York)
2012 Dimanche Rouge, curated by Tape Projects (Melbourne)
2012 Music Circus, John Cage Centenary, Sydney Opera House
2012 Vivid Festival/Places & Spaces (Sydney)
2012 Mona Foma Festival, curated by Brian Ritchie (Hobart)
2012 Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. with In Stitches collective. Eastern Bloc Gallery (Sydney)
2011 In the Night Garden, with Charlotte Haywood & Edward Horne. Tortuga Gallery (Sydney)
2009 Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef. with In Stitches collective. Powerhouse Museum (Sydney)
2009 Knewlodge, with In Stitches collective. Serial Space (Sydney)
2009 This is Not Art. with In Stitches collective. This is Not Art Festival (Newcastle)
2009 Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef. with In Stitches collective. Viva la Gong (Wollongong)
2008 Bowels of the Earth, with Damian Martin, Claire Conroy, Gustavo Boke & Sumugen Sivanesan, Carriage Works (Sydney)
COMPOSITION
Limb Control Fundamentals (2017) for contrabass with electric muscle stimulation. Performed at the Conservatorium of Music (Sydney)
Faithful Allowance (2016) soundtrack for 2 Beaches. Dario Vacirca and Boris Bagattini. OSCA
A New Musical Masochism (2015) for solo double bass with electric muscle stimulation. Performed at Everest Theatre, Seymour Centre (Sydney), Loewe Theatre (New York). Commissioned by Oliver Bown & Lian Loke for Vivid Music:Musify+Gamify
Involuntary Duet (2015) for contrabass with electric muscle stimulation. Performed at Acud Macht Neu (Berlin), Temporary Agency (New York) and Torus Porta (New York)
Involuntary Strings (2015) for bass and violin with electric muscle stimulation. Performed at Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Art (Brisbane). Podcast on ABC classic FM
Yawn (2015). 6 channel audio created for Zepplin: Dures pedres precioses, Center of Contemporary Culture (Barcelona)
Duty (2014) for Melodee Bells with electric muscle stimulation. Commissioned by Performance Space. Performed at Museum of Contemporary Art (Sydney)
Goldfish Variations (2014) for two instruments or voice. Performed by Decibel Ensemble at Eugene Goosens Hall, ABC Studios and Perth Institute of Contemporary Art. Commissioned by Decibel new music ensemble. Broadcast live on ABC classic FM
Involuntary Duet II (2013) for bass and violin. Performed at MCA ArtBar, Museum of Contemporary Art (Sydney), Musical Alaska (Sydney), Melbourne Now, National Gallery of Victoria
Post Human Blues #2 (2013) for string quartet with electric muscle stimulation. Commissioned by Cryptic Glasgow. Performed Sonica Festival, Tramway (UK). Development funded by Australia Council for the Arts Music Board
Post Human Blues #1 (2013) for string quartet with electric muscle stimulation. Performed at Polysonics, ISEA13, ABC Studios (Sydney), Broadcast live on Radio National
Untitled for Cyborg String Quartet for string quartet with electric muscle stimulation. Davies/Sanna (2013). Performed at Sonica Festival (Glasgow), Polysonics, ISEA13, ABC Studios (Sydney), Broadcast live on Radio National
FM-2030 for violin cello and Involuntary String Quartet. Davies/Sclavunos (2013). Performed at Sonica Festival (Glasgow). Development funded by Australia Council for the Arts Music Board
Allegretto meccanico. Davies/Sclavunos (2012). Performed at Polysonics, ISEA13, ABC Studios (Sydney). Broadcast live on Radio National
Electric Muscle Stimulation for Solo Piano. Davies/McKay (2013). Performed at Power Concert Series, MSM (New York).
Structured Improvisation with EMS (2013) for bass and violin. Performed at Liebig 12 (Berlin), ICI Berlin Institute for Cultural Inquiry (Berlin)
Involuntary Duet I (2013) for bass and violin. Performed at First Draft Depot (Sydney), Dimanche Rouge, Tape Projects (Melbourne) La Sala (New York), Emet (New York)
Involuntary Duet (2013) for Violin & Viola. Performed at Associated Gallery (New York)
Sucker Punch (2013). Arrangement & manipulation of Clare de Lune, pre-recorded piano and electronic sound. Sound for Game On installation, Damien Minton Gallery (Sydney)
Glitch Dining (2013). Arrangement & manipulation of Gnossienne No. 1, pre-recorded piano and electronic sound. Sound for Attention is a Scarce Resource performance at AGNSW, Contempo (2013), SEAM, Critical Path (2013), Dis.sesntience, Tin Sheds Gallery (2013)
Untitled in Gm for Involuntary Quartet (2012) for string quartet and electric muscle stimulation. Performed at Musicircus, John Cage Centenary Celebration, Sydney Opera House (Sydney)
While Rome Burns (2012) for string quartet with electric muscle stimulation and sonified seismic data. Performed at Power Concert Series, MSM (New York), Diamond Mouth Surprise, La Sala (New York), Vivid Festival/Places & Spaces (Sydney), Mona Foma Festival (Hobart, Tasmania). Touring funded by Arts NSW
Subsoma (2010). sonified seismic data. Sound for hybrid art performance. Presented at Powerhouse Museum (Sydney), National Science Week, CSIRO (Canberra). Development funded by National Science week
Escalator (2009). electronic sound for In the Night Garden kinetic sculpture
GRANTS AND AWARDS
2018 Australia Council for the Arts, Projects Grant
2016 Australia Council for the Arts, Projects Grant
2015 Prix Ars Electronica, Honorary Mention, Digital Musics and Sound Art
2014 Australia Council for the Arts, Creative Australia Fellowship
2014 Australia Council for the Arts, Visual Arts, New Work Grant
2013 Australia Council for the Arts, Sonica Initiative
2012 Arts NSW Quick Response Project Funding
2012 Australia Council for the Arts, Visual Arts, New Work Grant
2012 Australia Council for the Arts, Music, New Work Grant
2011 Australia Council for the Arts, Visual Arts, New Work Grant
2010 Australian National Science Week Grant
RESIDENCIES
2015 Conducting the Amplified Body, workshop/residency (Acud Macht Neu, Berlin)
2013 Sonica Residency (Glasgow, UK)
2013 Underbelly Arts Residency (Cockatoo Island, Sydney)
2012 Critical Path Research Residency (Critical Path, Sydney)
2009 Arthur Boyd Trust Residency (Bundanon, NSW) with In Stitches collective
2008 Underbelly Arts Residency (Carriage Works, Sydney) with Damian Martin, Claire Conroy, Gustavo Boke & Sumugen Sivanesan.
COMMISSIONS
2015 A New Musical Masochism, commissioned by Oliver Bown & Lian Loke for Musify+Gamify
2015 You Fight Like a Girl, commissioned by the Aids Council of NSW for iloveclaude.com
2014 Duty, commissioned by Performance Space for Sonic Social
2014 Goldfish Variations, commissioned by Decibel new music ensemble for After Julia
2013 Compositions for Involuntary Strings, Commissioned by Cryptic for Sonica festival
PUBLICATIONS
Davies, M. (2017). Game On: A creative enquiry into agency and the nature of cognition in distributed systems. Fibreculture Journal, 28.
Davies, M. (2014). Staging Hypotheses: Game On. Sensoria: a Journal of Mind Brain & Culture, 57-63.
Davies, M., Stankov, L., & Roberts, R. D. (2004). Emotional Intelligence: In search of an elusive construct. In
G. J. Boyle & D. H. Saklofske (Eds.), Psychology of individual differences, Volume III (Cognition, emotion, and conation). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Davies, M., Stankov, L., & Roberts, R. D. (1998). Emotional Intelligence: In search of an elusive construct. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 989-1015.
Stankov, L., Davies, M., & Roberts, R. D. (1998). Emotional Intelligence: Separating the facts from the (best-selling) fiction. Australian Journal of Psychology, 50, 63.
