About
D A Calf is a Naarm/Melbourne-based sound and installation artist/researcher, working pre-dominantly with sound, text and photography to explore the remnants and possibilities of failed modernisms and archives—impossible, hidden, contested, and otherwise—of place. Calf’s cross-disciplinary research incorporates memory studies, geology, linguistics, anthropology, social history, political philosophy and sound studies, the findings of which are realised through processes of serialisation, cartography, expanded drawing, sculpture, sonic composition, video and publication.
Calf has previously presented work at Dark Mofo, Cité Internationale des Arts (Paris), South by Southwest (Austin, US), Brisbane Festival, Melbourne Festival, Melbourne Fringe, King’s Artist-Run Gallery, Five Walls Gallery, Sounds of the Underground (Amsterdam), Tilde Festival of New Music & Sound Art, and Federation Square Melbourne.
In a previous creative life, Calf was co-founder of acclaimed immersive theatre company The Guerrilla Museum, founder of the recording studio/production suite The Institute Studio (located in the iconic Nicholas Building in Melbourne, AU) (Mo’Ju (fka Mojo Juju), Kira Puru, The General Assembly), a sound designer/composer (Sydney International Airport, Melbourne Theatre Company, Australian Music Vault, Royal Botanical Gardens of Sydney) and a musician, touring regularly as a multi-instrumentalist for numerous acts through Australia, Europe and the US. In 2010, he founded the independent label nomachinethinking.
Calf holds a BFA (Hons) (Sound Art & Spatial Sculpture), a BA (Philosophy & Politics) and is currently a PhD candidate in the RMIT School of Art where he also teaches.