Lisa Alvarado
Born 1982; Lives and works in Chicago, Illinois
Education
| 2007 | BFA, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago |
Current & Forthcoming
| 2024 | ‘Spiral Yellow’, The Modern Institute, 14–20 Osborne Street, Glasgow |
| ‘Resonant Earth: Contemporary Perspectives on Land and Body’, Moody Center for the Arts, Houston |
Solo Exhibitions
| 2023 | ‘Spinning Echo’, Bridget Donahue, New York |
| ‘Lisa Alvarado / MATRIX 192 / Spinning Echo’, Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford | |
| ‘Pulse Meridian Foliation’, REDCAT, Los Angeles | |
| 2021 | ‘Scab Diagram’, The Modern Institute, Aird's Lane Bricks Space |
| 2020 | ‘Thalweg’, Bridget Donahue, New York |
| 2018 | ‘Polyphonic Shadow Cloth’, LC QUEISSER, Tbilisi |
| 2017 | ‘Sound Talisman’, Bridget Donahue, New York |
| 2013 | ‘Traditional Object’, Soccer Club Club, Chicago |
| 2012 | ‘Limpia’, Soccer Club Club, Chicago |
Group Exhibitions
| 2023 | ‘Calling’, Kunstverein für die Rheinlande und Westfalen, Düsseldorf |
| ‘ton not. not ton’, Kunsthalle Münster, Münster | |
| ‘Re-Materialized: The Stuff that Matters’, Kaufmann Repetto, Milan | |
| 2022 | ‘Whitney Biennial 2022: Quiet as It’s Kept’, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York |
| ‘File Under Freedom’, Bergen Kunsthall, Bergen | |
| 2020 | ‘unFlagging’, Ballroom Marfa, Marfa, TX |
| ‘It Remains An Open Horizon’, LC QUEISSER, Tbilisi | |
| 2019 | ‘Psychedelic Healing Center’, Essex Flowers, New York (Organized by Sarah Anne Johnson and Lydia McCarthy) |
| 2018 | ‘Life As We Know It: A Storehouse Project’, Millersville University, Pennsylvania |
| ‘Out of Easy Reach’, Grunwald Gallery, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana; Gallery 400 and DePaul Art Museum, Chicago, Illinois | |
| ‘Alan Shields Project’, Van Doren Waxter, New York | |
| 2017 | ‘Lisa Alvarado, Alex Olson, Daniel Sinsel’, Mary Mary, Glasgow |
| 2016 | ‘The Freedom Principle: Experiments in Art and Music, 1965 to Now’, Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania |
| ‘Material Issue’, KMAC Museum, Kentucky | |
| ‘Messages in the Street’, Chicago public space and billboards (curated by Allison Glenn) | |
| 2015 | ‘The Freedom Principle: Experiments in Art and Music, 1965 to Now’, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Chicago |
| ‘Imaginary Landscapes’, Mana Contemporary, Chicago | |
| 2014 | ‘Szalon’, Reva and David Logan Center Gallery, University of Chicago, Chicago |
| ‘Chromatic Consortium’, The Franklin, Chicago | |
| 2011 | ‘Cosmic Workshop’, 6018 North, Chicago |
| ‘Alternating Currents’, Woodland Patterns, Wisconsin | |
| 2010 | ‘Qunehuayan’, BelAir Sound Studio, Chicago |
Performances
| 2022 | ‘Kampnagel’, Hamburg |
| Cafe Oto, London | |
| ‘Folkteatern’, Göteborg | |
| ‘Motvind Festivalen’, Oslo | |
| ‘Duke University’, Durham, North Carolina | |
| ‘Big Ears Festival’, Knoxville, Tennessee | |
| ‘Sons d'hiver festival’, Paris, France | |
| 2021 | ‘Woodsist Festival’, Accord, NY (Natural Information Society) |
| ‘Preservation of Fire’, Millennium Park, Chicago (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Chicago Takes 10’, Hyde Park Jazz Festival, Chicago (Natural Information Society) | |
| 2019 | ‘OK LA Festival’, Montreal, Canada |
| ‘Copenhagen Jazz Festival’, Copenhagen, Denmark | |
| ‘Cafe Oto’, London, United Kingdom (with Even Parker) | |
| ‘Cafe Oto’, London, United Kingdom (with Alexander Hawkins) | |
| ‘Arkaoda’, Berlin, Germany (with Tony Bruck) | |
| ‘Kongsberg Jazz Festival’, Kongsberg, Norway (with Hamid Drake and Helge Sten) | |
| ‘Roulette Intermedium’, Brooklyn, New York | |
| ‘Constellation’, Chicago, Illinois | |
| ‘Beyond the Gate’, Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois | |
| ‘A4’, Bratislava, Slovakia | |
| ‘Santeria Social Club’, Milan, Italy | |
| ‘Taklos Festival’, Zurich, Switzerland | |
| ‘Bad Bonn’, Dudingen, Switzerland | |
| ‘The Cankar Centre’, Ljublijana, Slovenia | |
| ‘The Art Institute of Chicago’, Chicago, Illinois | |
| ‘Trafo House of Contemporary Arts’, Budapest, Hungary | |
| ‘Theater Gates’s Black Monks Performance’, Palais de Tokyo, Paris | |
| ‘Winter Jazz Fest’, New York | |
| 2018 | ‘Jazzhouse’, Copenhagen, Denmark |
| ‘La Dynamo’, Paris, France | |
| ‘Arkaodo’, Berlin, Germany | |
| ‘Brdcst Festival’, Brussels, Belgium | |
| ‘Rewire Festival’, Den Haag, The Netherlands | |
| ‘Bim Huis’, Amsterdam, The Netherlands | |
| ‘Upset the Rhythm’, London, United Kingdom | |
| MK Gallery, Milton Keynes | |
| ‘Cortisone Festival’, Ghent, Belgium | |
| ‘Folkteatern’, Gotemborg, Sweden | |
| ‘Blow Out Series’, Oslo, Norway | |
| ‘Eremite Presents’, Zebulon, Los Angeles; The Chapel, San Francisco | |
| ‘Joshua Abrams and Natural Information Society’, Renaissance Society, Bond Chapel, Chicago | |
| 2017 | ‘Hamid Drake and Michael Zerang’s 28th Annual Solstice Concerts’, Constellation, Chicago |
| ‘Simon Starling lecture, Arts and the Nuclear Age lecture series’, University of Chicago, Chicago | |
| ‘Experimental Sound Studio’, May Chapel, Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago | |
| ‘Rare Earth’, Chicago Architecture Biennial, Chicago (organized by Theaster Gates, exhibition musical soundscape by Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Joshua Abrams Summer Series’, Fred Anderson Park, Chicago | |
| ‘GNRation’, Braga, Portugal (Natural Information Society) | |
| Salão Brazil, Coimbra (Natural Information Society) | |
| Teatro Municipal da Guarda, Guarda (Natural Information Society) | |
| Teatro Maria Matos, Lisboa (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Kaleidophon’, Ulrichsberg, Austria (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Centro D’Arte’, Padua, Italy (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Stanser Musitage Festival’, Stans, Switzerland (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Sound Talisman’, Bridget Donahue, New York (performance with Joshua Abrams and Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Endless Shout’, Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia | |
| ‘A Reflection’, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago (Natural Information Society) | |
| 2016 | ‘Hamid Drake’s Winter Solstice Ensemble’, Constellation, Chicago (26th Anniversary Winter Solstice concerts) |
| ‘Natural Information Society Residency’, Hideout, Chicago | |
| ‘At Twilight: A play for two actors, three musicians, one dancer, eight masks (and a donkey costume)’, Japan Society Gallery, New York; The Common Guild, Glasgow (collaboration with Simon Starling) | |
| ‘Natural Information Society with Evan Parker’, Café Oto, London | |
| ‘Champs — Elysees Film Festival’, Mona Bismarck American Center, Paris (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Poitiers a Jazz Festival’, Poitiers, France (Natural Information Society) | |
| Galeria Ze Dos Bois, Lisboa (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Serralves em Festa’, Museu Serralves - Museu de Arte Contemporãnea, Porto (Natural Information Society residency) | |
| ‘Obey Convention IX Festival’, Halifax, Canada (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘DOEK Festival’, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Natural Information Society and Bitchin Bajas’, Thalia Hall, Chicago (Levitation Festival) | |
| ‘Intention To Know: The Thought Forms of Annie Besant’, Stony Island Arts Bank, Chicago | |
| 2015 | ‘Trinosophes’, Detroit (Natural Information Society) |
| Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, New York (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘31e Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville’, Victoriaville, Canada (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Haiku Festival’, Area Sismica, Forli, Italy (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Hybrida Space’, Villa Moretti, Tarcento, Italy (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Kulturno Prireditveni Center Narodni Dom’, Maribor, Slovenia (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Fylkingen’, Stockholm, Sweden (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Jazzhouse’, Copenhagen, Denmark (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Sound in Motion’, Muziekcentrum Trix, Antwerp, Belgium (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘RogueArt Records’, Paris, France (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Chicago Psych Fest VIII: Frozen Mind’, Hideout, Chicago (Natural Information Society) | |
| 2014 | , Cave 12, Geneva (Natural Information Society) |
| ‘A/V Club’, OCCII, Amsterdam (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Eastern Daze Festival’, Ghent, Belgium (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘The Black Monastic residency’, Museu Serralves - Museu de Arte Contemporãnea, Porto (Theaster Gates and The Black Monks of Mississippi) | |
| ‘Pritzker Pavilion’, Millennium Park, Chicago (Natural Information Society) | |
| , The Krannert Center for Performing Arts, University of Illinois (Natural Information Society) | |
| 2013 | ‘Doug Aitken’s Station to Station Films’, Chicago, Illinois (Natural Information Society) |
| ‘Sant’Anna Arressi Jazz Festival’, Sardinia, Italy (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Summersonic’, Experimental Sound Studio, Chicago (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Revealed’, Stonescape, Napa Valley, California (Theaster Gates and The Black Monks of Mississippi) | |
| ‘Suoni Per il Popolo Festival’, Sala Rosa, Montreal (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Osrodek Postaw Tworczych’, Wroclaw, Poland (Natural Information Society) | |
| , Bajkonur, Lodz (Natural Information Society) | |
| , Kulturana, Warsaw (Natural Information Society) | |
| , Galeria BWA, Zielona Góra, Poland (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Off the Record’, Reva and David Logan Center, University of Chicago (Natural Information Society) | |
| 2012 | , Henry Miller Memorial Library, Big Sur (Natural Information Society) |
| ‘Face the Strange’, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Adventures in Modern Music Festival’, Empty Bottle, Chicago (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘President Barack Obama’s 51st Birthday’, Chicago (Theaster Gates and The Black Monks of Mississippi) | |
| ‘12 Ballads for Huguenot House’, Documenta 13, Kassel (Theaster Gates and The Black Monks of Mississippi) | |
| ‘SejneÅ„ska SpóÅ‚dzielnia Jazzowa’, Sejny, Poland ( Natural Information Society) | |
| , Powiekszenie Klub, Warsaw (Natural Information Society) | |
| , Klub Jazzga, Lodz (Natural Information Society) | |
| , Estrada Poznanska, Poznan | |
| 2011 | , Bezanson Recital Hall, University of Massachusetts, Amherst (Natural Information Society) |
| , Chicago World Music Festival (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘Guelph International Jazz Festival’, Guelph, Canada (Natural Information Society) | |
| 2010 | ‘Theaster Gates Lecture’, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| , Issue Project Room, New York (Natural Information Society) | |
| , Casa Del Popolo, Montreal (Natural Information Society) | |
| ‘X Avant New Music Festival’, Music Gallery, Toronto (Natural Information Society) |
Bibliography
Press
| 2023 | Ashton Cooper: ‘Lisa Alvarado at REDCAT’, Artforum, 01/11/2023 |
| Dave Segal: Natural Information Society‘s Hypnotic Sonic Tapestry and mssv‘s Contorted No Wave, The Stranger, 11/09/2023 | |
| 2021 | Marius, Marley: ‘At the Foundation for Contemporary Arts’s Latest Benefit Exhibition, 106 Artists Unite for a Common Cause’, Vogue, 10/12/2021 |
| Richards, Chris: ‘Best music of 2021’, Washington Post, 07/12/2021 | |
| Andy Beta: ‘Rooted in Her San Antonio Childhood, Lisa Alvarado’s Art Transports and Transforms’, Texas Monthly, 22/04/2021 | |
| 2020 | ‘Lisa Alvarado: Thalweg’, The Guide, 17/07/2020 |
| Kinsella, Eileen : ‘After Finding Success With Online Sales, David Zwirner Will Share Its Digital Platform With 12 Promising Younger New York Galleries, Too’, artnet news, 30/03/2020 | |
| Sarah Cascone,: ‘Editor’s Picks: 11 Things Not to Miss in the Virtual Art World This Week’, artnet news, 30/03/2020 | |
| 2019 | Spicer, Daniel : ‘Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society’, The Wire, 09/2019 |
| Graver, David: ‘Multi-Layered Highlights from the Tblisi Art Fair 2019’, coolhunting.com, 29/05/2019 | |
| Schwendener, Martha; Heinrich, Will : ‘At Frieze New York, Islands of Daring’, New York Times, 02/05/2019 | |
| Meyer, Bill: ‘Soundcheck A-Z: Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society’, The Wire, Issue 423 05/2019 | |
| Meyer, Bill : ‘Natural Information Society make the stage a home - and vice versa’, Chicago Reader, 17/04/2019 | |
| ‘Morning Links: Smoke Damage Edition’, ArtNews, 16/04/2019 | |
| ‘Live Review: Body/Head, Joshua Abrams’ Natural Information Society, Chicago’, Magnet Magazine, 07/03/2019 | |
| Alvarado, Lisa : ‘The Inner Sleeve’, WIRE, Issue 421 03/2019 | |
| 2018 | Scheper, Moritz : ‘Lisa Alvarado’s Paintings Activate the Canvas as Bodyâ€,’, Frieze, 06/11/2018 |
| Koroshinadze, Dato : ‘Art, house and dialogue’, Hammock, 24/10/2018 | |
| Rodney, Seph : ‘An Exhibition That Frustrates Our Grasp of Abstraction’, Hyperallergic.com, 02/08/2018 | |
| Thorn, Bruce : ‘Out of Easy Reach’, New Art Examiner, 06/2018 | |
| Flynn-Taylor, Annalise: ‘Review: Out of Easy Reach’, Sixty inches From the Center, 31/05/2018 | |
| ‘Alan Shields Project’, The New Yorker, 29/01/2018 | |
| 2017 | Ballard, Thea : ‘Lisa Alvarado’, Art in America, 01/06/2017 |
| Thea Ballard: ‘Lisa Alvarado’, Art in America, 26/05/2017 | |
| Saltz, Jerry : ‘Right Now Is a Blockbuster Moment in New York for Female Artists’, New York Magazine, 19/05/2017 | |
| Coiro, Alec : ‘Sound Activated Art by Lisa Alvarado’, Ravelin Magazine, 17/05/2017 | |
| Kopel, Dana: ‘Conversations: Vibrational Aesthetics: Lisa Alvarado’, Mousse Magazine, 02/05/2017 | |
| ‘Lisa Alvarado’, The New Yorker, 01/05/2017 | |
| Bucciero, Joe : ‘Lisa Alvarado: Sound Talisman’, The Brooklyn Rail, 01/05/2017 | |
| Cotter, Holland : ‘10 Galleries to Visit Now on the Lower East Side’, The New York Times, 28/04/2017 | |
| Russonello, Giovanni : ‘Pop, Rock and Jazz in NYC This Week’, The New York Times, 20/04/2017 | |
| Saltz, Jerry : ‘To Do: April 19-May 3, 2017’, New York Magazine, 16/04/2017 | |
| Nicol, John J.: ‘Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society | Simultonality’, Brown Noise Unit Magazine, 04/2017 | |
| Sherry, Alan : ‘The Inner Sleeve: This month’s artwork chosen by Alan Sherry’, WIRE, Issue 398 04/2017 | |
| 2016 | Picard, Caroline : ‘The Brevity of Space: An Interview with Allison Glenn’, art:21, 08/12/2016 |
| Sharratt, Chris : ‘Live: Simon Starling’, Frieze, 14/09/2016 | |
| ‘Toda a Musica na vida de Joshua Abrams num guimbri’, Publico Magazine Portugal, 04/06/2016 | |
| McNutt, Ryan : ‘Joshua Abrams Natural Information Society: Deep Water Church, Halifax NS’, Exclaim Magazine, 29/05/2016 | |
| Bourland, Ian : ‘Sunrise in Different Dimensions’, Frieze, 01/2016 | |
| Glenn, Allison : ‘Transmissions and Interruptions, in Derrick Adams: ON, exhibition catalogue,’, Pioneer Works Press, 2016 | |
| 2015 | Masters, Marc; Haver Currin, Grayson: ‘Best Experimental Albums of 2015 (Magnetoception #2)’, Pitchfork Media, 23/12/2015 |
| Hank Willis Thomas,: ‘The Freedom Principle’ at the MCA Chicago, selected by Hank Willis Thomas, Art News, 13/10/2015 | |
| Broomer, Stuart : ‘Joshua Abrams’ Natural Information Society: by way of the guimbri’, Music Works Magazine, Issue 23 09/2015 | |
| Loerzel, Robert : ‘The Freedom Principle at the MCA’, Undergroundbee.com, 09/08/2015 | |
| Long, Zack: ‘The Freedom Principle: Experiments in Art and Music, 1965 to Now’, Time Out Chicago, 10/07/2015 | |
| Meyer, Bill : ‘Joshua Abrams – Magnetoception’, Dusted Magazine, 08/06/2015 | |
| Krute, Clinton : ‘Memory, Texture, and Tradition, Joshua Abrams & Nathan Bowles’, Bomb Magazine, 20/04/2015 | |
| Reichert, Elliot : ‘Imaginary Landscapes/Mana Contemporary’, New City Chicago, 20/03/2015 | |
| 2014 | Ovstebo, Solveig : ‘Chicago’s Best, 2014’, Art in America, 23/12/2014 |
| Waxman, Lori : ‘The Desires of Art’, Chicago Tribune, 23/10/2014 | |
| Preski, Kenneth : ‘Lunch with Joshua Abrams: on New Releases from Natural Information Society in 2014’, New City Chicago, 19/02/2014 | |
| Russell, Stefene : ‘The Panoramic Songscape: Natural Information Society’, St. Louis Magazine, 17/02/2014 | |
| 2013 | Lorrai, Di Marcello : ‘Aspettando Taylor’, Giornale Della Musica Italy, 29/08/2013 |
| Margasak, Peter; Roelstraete, Dieter; Alvarado, Lisa : ‘In Rotation’, Chicago Reader, 06/06/2013 | |
| Wojcik, Krzysztof : ‘Mystery of Trance improvisation – Natural Information Society & Mikrokolektyw’, Jazzarium Poland, 09/03/2013 | |
| Meyer, Bill: ‘Represencing’, The Wire, Issue 348 11/01/2013 | |
| 2012 | Sless-Kitain, Areif : ‘Joshua Abrams’ Natural Information Society’, Time Out Chicago, 10/2012 |
| ‘The Wire Magazine: Sleeves Received: Reprecencin’, The Wire, 10/2012 |
Publications
| 2021 | Lowitz + Sons, Inc.: Moki Cherry Communicate, How?: Paintings and Tapestries, 1967 - 1980, Lowitz + Sons, Inc., Chicago |
| 2018 | Allison M. Glenn: Out of Easy Reach, University Of Chicago Press, Chicago |
| 2017 | Francesco Spampinato, edited by Julius Wiedemann: Art Record Covers, Taschen, Cologne |
| 2016 | Kitty Anderson and Simon Starling: At Twilight, The Common Guild, Japan Society, New York and Dent-de-Leone |
| Allison Glenn: Derrick Adams: ON, Transmissions and Interruptions (exh. cat.), Pioneer Works Press, New York | |
| edited by Aldy Milliken and Joey Yates: Material Issue, Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, Louisville | |
| Allison Glenn, Jason Perez, Shaquita Reed and Anthony Stepter: Messages in the Street, | |
| edited by Hans Van der Linden, Christel Kumpen, Koen Vanderhoudt: Oorstof: Food for Thought, Soundin Motion vzw, Antwerp | |
| Theaster Gates: Theaster Gates & The Black Monks Of Mississippi: The Black Monastic, Fundação de Serralves, Porto | |
| 2015 | edited by Naomi Beckwith and Dieter Roelstraete: The Freedom Principle: Experiments in Art and Music, 1965 to Now, University Of Chicago Press, Chicago |