Dawn Kasper's Sonic Explorations and Nomadic Practice at Portikus and Beyond

Dawn Kasper's exhibition 'The Wolf and The Head on Fire' at Portikus in Frankfurt in May 2019 centered on Aesop's fable 'The Wolf and the Kid', exploring themes of distraction and sonic awareness. The show featured sound performances with various collaborators and included a bell sculpture with 40 to 50 suspended bells equipped with contact microphones. Kasper's ongoing Nomadic Studio Practice, which began in 2008, has seen her relocate her entire studio to major exhibitions like the 2012 Whitney Biennial and the 57th Venice Biennale, working publicly amid visitors. Her work frequently incorporates sound through installations with cables, guitars, chairs, and recording devices, as seen in pieces like 'Cluster' (2016), a motion-activated cymbal sculpture. Kasper collaborates with artists such as painter Lucy Dodd and harpist Zeena Parkins, and her early performances like 'The Evil Series' or 'Death Scenes' (2001–07) involved playing dead in various settings. She draws inspiration from figures like Paul McCarthy, Mike Kelley, and Joseph Campbell, and her practice is influenced by her punk background near Washington, D.C., where she attended Fugazi shows. Kasper now resides in Kingston, upstate New York, seeking healing and community, and continues to use sound as a tool for personal and artistic exploration.