Pia van Gelder is an electronic artist and curator. Van Gelder develops performances and installations by working with media machines, both custom built heirloom technologies like the audio-video modular synthesizer, and common electronic devices which are hacked and opened up to perform in ways that negate their use or assumed design. In her recent work she has been interested in presenting opportunities to experience AV mysticism and what she calls ‘machinic affinity’; feelings of closeness to a machine.
Involving methodologies of hacking within her practice at large, Van Gelder also explores interdisciplinary research into theosophy, technology, science, counter-culture histories and DIY pedagogy. Van Gelder has curated various festivals, art events and exhibitions and has been involved with DIY spaces for the past decade, particularly the Serial Space collective. She is the Overlord of Dorkbot Sydney, a regular meeting for people doing strange things with electricity and a lecturer at the College of Fine Arts, UNSW in the School of Media Art.
Psychic Synth, Performance Space, Sydney Australia: interactive installation, August, 2014
Sydney Contemporary Art Fair, Firstdraft Gallery, Carriageworks, Sept, 2013
Audio Visionaries, SCA Gallery, Sydney Australia: interactive installation, 2012
Synchresizer, Tin Sheds, Sydney: AV performance, video documentation, 2011
Synauxß, FirstDraft, Sydney: performance, video documentation/ installation, 2011
2013
Illuminations, Bondi Pavilion, Sydney Australia: electronic AV performance
Cementa 13 Festival, Kandos Australia: electronic AV performance
Firstdraft Depot #3: ISEA2013, Firstdraft Depot, Sydney Australia: electronic AV performance
2013 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship for Emerging Artists, Artspace, Sydney, Australia: interactive installation
2012
SDLX 10th Anniversary, SuperDeluxe, Tokyo, Japan: electronic AV performance Intoducing Pia van Gelder,SuperDeluxe, Tokyo, Japan: electronic AV performance
Moduluxxx Showcase Gig, Serial Space, Sydney: electronic AV performance
Noiseball, Serial Space, Art Month, Sydney: AV Synthesiser collaborative endurance performance
Now Now Festival, Red Rattler, Sydney: electronic AV performance
Laneways Festival, Sydney: electronic AV performance
2011
Runway Launch (Issue 20), Society, Sydney: electronic AV performance
Big In Japan, Paddington Town Hall, Sydney: electronic AV performance
Spectacle Obstacle, West Space, Melbourne:‘AV Bells: Rimington Scales’, interactive installation
Liquid Architecture, Eugene Goosens Hall, ABC Studios, Sydney: ‘AV Harp’ AV performance
High Reflections, Red Rattler, Sydney: electronic AV performance
Spectacle Obstacle, Firstdraft Gallery, Sydney: ‘AV Bells - Rimington Scales’, interactive installation
2010
Electrofringe Festival, Artist Presentation, Newcastle - ‘SIGNAUX’, performance
This is Not Art Showcase, TINA Festival, Newcastle - ‘THEY LIVE’, performance
SNO 63, SNO Gallery, Sydney - ‘Perceptual Machine Study’, AV installation
Friends, TCB Gallery, Melbourne - ‘AV Bells - Singing’, interactive installation
High Reflections, Sandringham Hotel, Sydney -‘Video Harp’, performance
Sound Series #5, Hardware Gallery, Sydney - ‘Video Harp’, performance
Difficult Music Festival, Locksmith Projects, Sydney - ‘X_NoMSG_X’, performance
2009
High Reflections, Serial Space, Sydney - ‘THEY LIVE’, performance
NightTime, Performance Space, Sydney - ‘THEY LIVE’, performance
Locksmith Projects, Sydney - ‘THEY LIVE’, performance
Found Sound: The Experimental Instrument Project, Tape Projects, Melbourne - ‘Voice Mask’, performance
