Marta Zapparoli is a Berlin-based Italian sound artist, improviser, performer, independent researcher whose work explores the invisible electromagnetic spectrum through site-specific, live performances and analog sonic experimentation.
In the recent years her work mainly involves the intersection of the visible and the invisible aspects of physics – seeking to activate all the poetic and conceptual levels. She capture unique self-made recordings of the “energetic environment” surrounding us, electromagnetic radiation coming from the outer space and the atmosphere : (Natural Radio phenomena VLF, astronomical radio sources like stars, the Sun, Northern Lights among others..) and, (electro-smog, wireless, radio wave communication) coming form the technological world.
In her artistic work, she questioning and exploring on the themes : “Technological Nature”, nature imitated by technology in an anthropogenic age – The behavior, transformation of nature contaminated by the technological world – The “other-then-human” as a medium fostering awareness of our cosmic connections, offering new perspectives of our anthropogenic reality, and deep listening as political practice.
She believe that electromagnetic radiations contain also life, history, wisdom, and they became the medium that she use for live performances, sound collage, composition, site-specific interventions.
Her artistic work spans sound art, science, radio ecology, radio astronomy, cosmic imagery, psychoacoustics, and spirituality.
Her main instruments are a vary of sculptural antennas (some of them self made), a wide range of radio receivers, detectors, sensors, tape recorders which she use during live performances .
In 2019 she started an ongoing collaboration with the Astronomical Observatory (Astrofili Urania) in (Italy) to develop a part of her artistic research and project, diving into the vast field of radio astronomy.
Since 2010 She is a member of Splitter Orchester (an ensemble of 24 musicians focusing on improvise music, experimentation, and site specific).
She is a member of numerous international collectives, like Pareidolia with Liz Allbee, Vertigo Transport with Burkhard Beins, THE ELKS with (Liz Allbee ,Kai Fagaschinski, Billy Roisz), M.Z.A.L. duo with Albrecht Loops, Liminal Resonatrix with (Sebastian Hofmann, Martin Lorenz), among others.
Marta has performed at major festivals including MaerzMusik (DE), CTM (DE), Borealis (Norway),Tsunami Festival (Chile),The Listening Effects fest at Planetario of Porto (Portugal), High Zero (USA), Noise Fest(Turkay), Oscillation (Belgium), TEA Art Museum (Tenerife), MusraraMix (Israel), Soundprotokoll (Austria), Meakusma (Belgium), Artact (austria) among others.
Her works have been broadcast across Europeon WDR3 Open Studio Elektronische Musik Deutschland, RTS.ch, Radio Deutschland Kultur, SWR2, Rai3 (Battiti), among others, and supported by INM, Senatsverwaltung für Kultur und Europa, Musikfonds, Goethe-Institut, and Italian Cultural Institutes.