RM Francis is an artist based in Seattle working with computer-generated sound and language via recording, installation, and performance. His practice foregrounds computation-based compositional strategies, focusing on methods that exploit discrepancies between human and artificial auditory systems. His current work exploits latent phonological data extracted from non-linguistic sound in order to generate the tonal, rhythmic, and semantic content of synthesized speech. The resulting asubjective narration articulates the potentialities of speech decoupled from embodied human expression, navigating between abstract sound and uncanny characterological specificity.

His oeuvre spans multimedia work incorporating sound, video, performance, and chocolate (Hyperplastic Other, 2017), investigations of historical computer synthesis methods (A Taxonomy of Guffaws, 2020), procedural text works for a chorus of synthetic voices (Every Single Person Has Some Muscle, 2022), and hallucinatory duets between dictation apps and deep learning networks (pedimos un mensaje, 2023). In addition to his solo projects, in recent years he has collaborated with Jack Callahan & Jeff Witscher, Jung An Tagen, and farmersmanual, among others.

Future

Past

November 16, 2024: Center for Performing Arts, Minneapolis
November 15, 2024: Common Sage, Madison
November 14, 2024: Tritriangle, Chicago
October 26, 2024: Triest, New York
September 27, 2024: Chapel Performance Space, Seattle
August 30, 2024: Gallery 1412, Seattle
July 20, 2024: Parken, Vienna
July 12, 2024: P3 Annihilation Eve, Manchester
July 11, 2024: Wharf Chambers, Leeds
July 10, 2024: Hotelier, Porto
July 6, 2024: Cosmos Campolide, Lisbon
June 24, 2024: Panke, Berlin
June 23, 2024: Asimmetric, Cologne
June 22, 2024: Aquarium, Leipzig
June 19, 2024: WURM, Basel
June 18, 2024: KULTUM, Graz
May 30, 2024: Chapel Performance Space, Seattle
May 18, 2024: The Lab, San Francisco
May 17, 2024: Indexical, Santa Cruz
April 26, 2024: Silverfish, Portland, ME
April 25, 2024: AS220 Black Box, Providence
April 24, 2024: Cold Spring Hollow, Belchertown
April 23, 2024: Music Under the Moon, WCUW 91.3 FM, Worcester
April 20, 2024: Pageant:Soloveev, Philadelphia
April 19, 2024: Red Room, Baltimore
April 18, 2024: Rhizome, Washington, D.C.
April 13, 2024: Revolve, Asheville
April 12, 2024: Cine, Athens, GA
October 27, 2023: Chapel Performance Space, Seattle
September 1-30, 2023: “Hello, Bipster,” Kolonia Artystów, Gdańsk (installation with Jung An Tagen)
April 14, 2022: Chapel Performance Space, Seattle
March 11, 2022: “Impossible Listening” (talk), Algorithmic Art Assembly, Gray Area, San Francisco
March 10, 2022: Algorithmic Art Assembly, Gray Area, San Francisco
October 19, 2020: Imaginary Network Topologies, twitch.tv/2xmono
February 25, 2020: extra.resonance.fm, guest mix on Conditional
February 10, 2020: Mills College, Oakland
February 9, 2020: The Secret Alley, San Francisco
February 7, 2020: Coaxial Arts, Los Angeles
September 7, 2019: Chapel Performance Space, Seattle
September 6, 2019: Leaven Community Center, Portland
August 23, 2019: Patchwerks, Seattle
May 30, 2019: Chapel Performance Space, Seattle
March 30, 2019: S1, Portland
August 29, 2018: in "H (Hallway, extended mix)" by LIMITS, Yellow Fish Durational Performance Art Festival, LoveCityLove, Seattle
August 25, 2018: Coaxial Arts, Los Angeles
August 24, 2018: Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Ana
August 23, 2018: The Luggage Store Gallery, San Francisco
August 20, 2018: Studio Grand, Oakland
August 18, 2018: Color Therapy, Portland
August 16, 2018: The Toast, Vancouver
August 11, 2018:The Chapel Performance Space, Seattle
February 3, 2018: Network ensemble performance with Mesh Collaborative, The Chapel Performance Space, Seattle
January 6, 2018: Gallery 1412, Seattle
November 30-December 2, 2017: Sound spatialization for Befort & Graczyk's Rose Blue, with Jason E Anderson, Base, Seattle
October 22, 2017: H0L0, NYC
October 21, 2017: Icebox Project Space, Philadelphia
October 20, 2017: Red Room, Baltimore
October 6, 2017: Gallery 1412, Seattle
May 20, 2017: Leaven Community Center, Portland
May 19, 2017: Timbre Room, Seattle
May 6, 2017: Chapel Performance Space, Seattle
August 27, 2016: S1, Portland
August 26, 2016: Chapel Performance Space, Seattle
July 22, 2016: Gallery 1412, Seattle
April 3, 2016: Broadcast of 1-hour in-studio performance on Sonarchy, KEXP.org (90.3 FM), Midnight-1am