ABOUT
Though live improvisation and sound manipulation Michael Dick has worked in alleyways, gallery spaces and dance studios. Using unusual instruments and audio sampling his work appears to alter time and space through a colourful and absurd palette of subtly and wonder. Gathering information from their place of production, works are often site-specific or site-generated.
"Improvisation enables me to construct and deconstruct sounds as they surface,
allowing the moment to create narrative through vibration and resonance."
Beginning a degree in Jazz Studies at the Victorian College of the Arts (Double Bass) 1984, Melbourne Australia, Michael was a member of the MIA (Melbourne Improvisers Association), and continued to become an industry professional performing, touring and recording music for over 30 years with a broad range of performers across many genres, including jazz, blues, reggae, afro, latin, free jazz, and experimental.
Now actively involved in sound design, and new music direction, in 2009 Michael formed an impro performance ensemble, The Knie for a Performance Art work at the Tweed Regional Art Gallery, NSW for Visual Artist Kellie O'Dempsey. A new direction and a collaborative partnership was formed exploring the textures and dynamics of live improvisational soundscapes in direct response to hand drawn line and site. Improvisational composition at the intersection of new media and acoustic sound manipulation as performance is Michael’s artistic motivation.
In various roles as Director, Technical Producer, Bassist, sound designer, dub artist and digital animator, collaborations with Kellie O’Dempsey include MONA FOMA, Biennale of Sydney , National Gallery of Australia, Museum of Brisbane and White Night Melbourne.
I wish to acknowledge that I live and work on traditional lands, belonging to the Arakwal people on Bundjalung country, on land that was stolen without consent, treaty or compensation. I’d like to pay my respects to those elders, past, present and emerging.