“It’s a mystery to me how she generates these sounds, but rather than focusing on the hows of instrumentation and composition, I was totally giving up my thoughts to feeling the vibes. It sounded like drifting in space. ”
Ariana van Gelder is a Cuban-American composer and immersive sound artist specializing in deeply visceral sonic experiences. Her creations explore the tenuous intimacy between artist, audience, and medium with an eye toward rapturous multi-sensory engagement that promotes social inclusivity and connection.
Inspired by a battle with and recovery from debilitating visual and motor dysfunction in 2021, van Gelder shifted focus to research and development for a series of large-scale immersive, interactive experiences that improve accessibility for people of all physical abilities, including those with motion, hearing, and vision impairments. The designs build upon her previous sound work, incorporating an expanded range of stimuli in other-worldly settings where participants can let go and enjoy as synesthetic sensations wash over them.
From 2006 to today, van Gelder has built a career centered on multimedia installations, collaborations, commissioned works, semi-improvised performances, elaborate stage shows, and recordings. These include custom sound environments and scores for interactive virtual experiences, video, sculpture, live acts, and all manner of physical spaces — both inside and out.
As a composer with a background in theoretical physics, van Gelder has long held a keen interest in creating, defining, and formulating space for bodies through sound. In its most recent incarnation, van Gelder’s sound work reaches through the ether as if extending itself to envelop the listener in an embrace from within. Revolving around ever-building vocal loops created in real time, her voice glides and glistens through ten octaves, guiding the listener across a landscape that dives into rich, rumbling waves of bass and near-silent sub-bass. She has also composed for and performed with multichannel systems, piano, prepared violin, bowed glockenspiel, field recordings, pressure-driven Mylar sculpture, and just about anything else that makes sound.
An active artist, van Gelder has contributed to exhibitions in and performed across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia and at institutions spanning from museums, galleries, universities, and international biennales to traditional stages, private events, and surprise DIY/guerilla spaces.
Whilst having called home to both New York and Taiwan, van Gelder is currently scouting locations for her upcoming work and is presently in Singapore.