ava imogen grayson

We are in constant interaction: human, animal, elemental. To notice what is often overlooked—and connect with that which Georges Perec calls the ‘infra-ordinary’—patience and curiosity are necessary. These qualities are a catalyst to transform the seemingly insignificant into rich and complex entities in and of themselves.

Sound and music are at the core of my interdisciplinary way of working. As an artist with a DIY/generalist attitude, each piece requires its own approaches and carefully assembled materials to be meaningful. It is my role to gather, facilitate, and synthesise, not to predict where it will lead.

I’m inspired by the hidden essences that lie beneath what we experience in the mundane. Every question leads to a new question, as a single fruiting mushroom leads to a vast mycelial network.

As a European-descended settler from Turtle Island (Canada), a permanent resident of Finland, and a genderqueer and queer person, I value plurality and the coexistence of multiple and simultaneous knowledges.

The goal of my artistry is always focussed on thoughtful dialogue and active listening.

Ava Imogen Grayson (they/them) is a full-time lecturer at the University of the Arts Helsinki (Sound Art & Sonic Arts) and a doctoral researcher at Aalto University (Department of Art & Media). They hold a Master’s of Sound in New Media (Aalto University) and a Bachelor of Music Composition (University of British Columbia). Their doctoral research at Aalto University focuses on re-indigenising and reflecting on Western art music practices through the creation and performance of tactile, materially-based musical notations.