Maria Papadomanolaki - Transmission Artist - Composer
Maria Papadomanolaki is a transmission artist and composer based in Greece. Papadomanolaki has studied linguistics and literature at the Aristoteleion University of Thessaloniki before moving on to sound art and sound studies, having completed a PhD on the topic ‘Sonic Perceptual Ecologies’ at CRISAP, LCC, UAL. Her work and research focus on the role of sound in the way we engage with our environments, with memory, placemaking and perception. Special importance is placed on the synergy of electroacoustic and electronic music, transmission art and creative ecological practices.
Her work aims to inspire and unlock our inherent abilities to experience through sound. This is often achieved through working in site specific, community and heritage contexts. Her curatorial work for Soundcamp/Reveil and her series of site specific performances entitled ‘A certain geography’ have been characterised by audience members as ‘original’, ‘extraordinary’ and ‘transformative’. Similarly, through her sound design for dance and film and her electroacoustic and electronic music performances and releases, Maria is using sound as a means to create connections across spaces, memories, bodies, senses and realities, to pose questions and to prompt interactions.
Since 2010, Maria has been leading workshops for public events and she has been teaching on both BA and MA courses in various UK Universities. Between 2017-2020 she worked as a Senior Lecturer/Course Leader at the University Of Brighton's Digital Music and Sound Arts course where she succesfully designed innovative curriculum activities such as live briefs and learning in the context of public-facing and community projects. Her leadership solidified the successful performance of the course on the 2019 and 2020 National student survey and on the Guardian's 2020-21 UK University league table (with a leap from the 65th to the 25th place for the subject area of "Music" for that academic year).
She has researched and co-edited the books ‘sounds remote’ (Soundcamp/Uniformbooks 2016), ‘Transmission Arts: Artists & Airwaves” (PAJ Publications, 2011) and has contributed a chapter to the book ‘Radio Content in the Digital Age’ (Intellect Books, 2011). Her research and writing have also been published on Organised Sound (Cambridge University Press), Nefeli Editions, Galaad Edizioni, Leonardo Journal, Performance Research as well as on print and online music resources including acloserlisten (US), Velvet Magazine (GR), ATHENSVOICE (GR), fluid-radio(UK), Sonic Field (CO), and Artcards Review NY (US).
Papadomanolaki has presented her work and research at galleries, conferences and festivals in Europe, UK and the US with highlights being IMT Gallery (London, 2008), Ontological-Hysteric Theater (NY, 2009), Cabinet Magazine (NY, 2010), Issue Project Room (NY, 2012), Decibel Festival (Seattle, WA, 2012), The British Library (London, 2013), Athens Biennale AGORA (Athens, 2013), Parasol Unit (London, 2014), Music Tech Fest (2014, London), Apiary Studios (London, 2014), ISEA 2015 (Vancouver, 2015), Mobile Audio Fest (Aix-en-Provence, 2015), Mois Multi (Quebec City, 2016) , Sound Acts (Athens, 2016), CMMR Festival (Sao Paolo, 2016), Southapmton Science and Engineering Fair (Southampton, 2017), Sound&Environment (Hull, 2017), The Barbican (London, 2017), Borderline Festival (Athens, 2018), Tuned City (Ancient Messene, 2018), DRAF (London, 2019). Her projects have also been featured in radiostations such as Resonance FM (UK), WGXC (US), BBC Radio 3 (UK), BBC 6 Music (UK), Radio Campus Paris (FR) and CFRO Vancouver Co-operative Radio (CA) among others.
Papadomanolaki has received funding for her work and research from The Schilizzi Foundation, The Alexander Onassis Foundation, University of The Arts London, Arts Council England, Sound and Music, H&L Fund England. She has received an award by the Nagogya University of the Arts for her interactive voice-based installation entitled ‘Stoma’.
Maria is the co-founder of the non-profit organisation 'SoundCamp' and is a member of the 'Shortwave Collective'. She is a Higher Education Academy Fellow and she currently works at the Technical University of Crete, in Chania.