Bruce Odland

Bruce Odland
Born
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Alma materNorthwestern University
Occupation(s)Composer, sound artist, sonic thinker
Known forSonic installations, multi-media, virtual instruments
Websitehttp://bruceodland.net/

Michael Bruce Odland, known as Bruce Odland, (born 1952 in Milwaukee) is a composer, sound artist and sonic thinker. He is known for large-scale sound installations in public spaces, creating unique instruments that reveal music inherent in natural and urban environments, and for his pioneering work in theater, film and interactive multi-media. He lives and works in Westchester County, New York. Odland's musical sculptures and sound installations have been shown in major cities such as New York, Berlin, and Zurich; in art museums including the Denver Art Museum, the Field Museum and Mass MoCA; and at the international documenta14, Ars Electronica, Edinburgh International and Salzburg Festivals.  Many of his installations are collaborations with Austrian sound artist Sam Auinger, with whom he formed an artistic partnership O+A in 1989.[1] Together they have created more than 50 sound installations in Europe, North America and Asia.

He pioneered virtual musical instruments in 2000 in the "Sounds from the Vaults" exhibition at the Field Museum in Chicago,[2] which won the Gold Muse award from the American Alliance of Museums for best interactive media exhibit.[3]

Odland has collaborated with many well-known theater directors, musicians and artists including Peter Sellars, Tina Packer, Robert Woodruff, JoAnne Akalaitis, Tony Oursler, Dan Graham, Laurie Anderson, André Gregory, Jennifer Tipton, George Tsypin, Wallace Shawn and the Wooster Group.

Odland has lectured and led workshops at many institutions, including: Tisch School of the Arts, New York University; Cooper Union; Pratt Institute; Yale University; Harvard University School of Design; Cal Arts; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and The Bartlett School of Architecture, London; Technische Universität Berlin; University of Art, Berlin; and Insa Art Institute, Seoul, Korea.

He is founding director of the Tank Center for Sonic Arts in Rangely, Colorado.[4]

  1. ^ Bhagat, Alexis; Gangemi, Gregory (Autumn 2007). Kyunghwa, Ahn (ed.). ""Sound Alchemists", an interview with Bruce Odland and Sam Auinger". Journal BOL. Resonance. 006. Kim Jung-heun (Chairman Arts Council Korea): 215–219. ISSN 1739-9270.
  2. ^ Martin, Mitch (September 3, 1999). "World jam; 'Sounds from the Vaults' taps Field's archives". Chicago Tribune. pp. 53–34.
  3. ^ "2000 MUSE Award Winners". American Alliance of Museums. May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  4. ^ "The TANK Center For Sonic Arts". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved May 19, 2022.