Dead Air investigates the politics of space, (in)visibility, and perception through sound and radio. I study the distribution of radio signals across an area, drawing boundary lines over a map of  the landscape to mark where the theoretical strength of the signals diminishes. However, radio waves have line-of-sight properties and are interrupted by physical obstruction, which makes the real-world pattern much more intricate than the theoretical one, so I have to go out and find the true threshold. Similarly, while a distinct line marks the boundary between territories on paper, the changes perceived by moving from one zone to the next can be gradual, irregular or inverted against expectations. Radio waves emulate this: their reception across space can vary from staccato behavior to smooth fades between signal and noise. These variances create dynamic and fluid border lines that shift as their surroundings do, helping to deconstruct the understanding of what borders are. Using the map of projected radio boundaries and my knowledge of local listenership to locate liminal areas of interest in the real world, I walk the border lines of a specific frequency while live broadcasting the sounds of my surroundings with homemade FM transmitters. The signal is picked up by any receiver tuned to that station within a radius of roughly 50 feet, interfering with the regular programming on car radios, home stereos, etc. My transmission can cause an array of responses, static, feedback, or a clean delivery of local noise, functioning like a sonic mirror.

Also performed in Mexico City with the Hemispheric Institute.