Darsha Hewitt

Artist
a smiling woman leaning on a workshop table using a multimeter to test a bunch of taped together 9 Volt batteries
Photo credit / Image credit
Lena Loose

Canadian born, Berlin based artist Darsha Hewitt uses sound, electromechanical installation, handmade electronics, video, drawing and photography to critically investigate the materiality of the machines and practices of technology that consumer society throws away.

With a media archeological approach, she deconstructs generations of obsolete technology to trace out systems of power, economy and control inherent throughout technological infrastructures. The effect simultaneously demystifies the confounding inner systems at play within our technology while further re-mystifying it by transforming it into unexpected sonic experiences that raise question about our technological entanglements and its implications on humans and ecology. Her current work looks into the ecological dimensions of music and sound reproduction technology.

Hewitt’s work is presented internationally, with recent exhibitions at Werkleitz Festival (DE), Ars Electronica (AU), Zagreb Museum of Contemporary Art (HZ), Hong Kong City Hall, Halle14 – Centre for Contemporary Art (DE), MU Artspace (NL), The Museum of Art and Design (NYC), Hartware MedienKunstverein (DE),Gaitée Lyrique (FR), Deichtorhallen centre for contemporary (DE), Kampnagel (DE), Modern Art Oxford (UK), Transmediale / CTM Festival Berlin (DE) and WRO Media Art Biennale (PL).

She has worked as an Artistic Associate in Media Art and Design at the Bauhaus University and has held guest Professorships in New Media at Kunsthochschule Kassel and Sound at Karlsruhe University of Art and Design. She is presently guest faculty in Sound Studies and Sonic Arts at the Berlin University of the Arts