Born in Naples in 1984, Marco Donnarumma (DE) is a media and performance artist, director, composer and scholar. Since the early 2000s, he meshes contemporary performance, media art and computer music with one another to inquire into the recondite matters of the human body. He is widely known for his performances probing the body through sound physicality, technological engineering and movement research. Oneiric and uncompromising, sensual and confrontational, his language is often rooted in the experience of ritual, shock and coercion. His repertoire tours regularly from concert halls to theaters, festivals and museums, and has been presented in 65 countries worldwide.
A dissection of violence – as exerted by humans against their kin and environment through direct action and technological development – lies at the core of his new production. The piece is commissioned by Centre des Arts (FR) and Romaeuropa Festival (IT) and will be created in collaboration with Margherita Pevere for a premiere in Rome in October 2019. His latest cycle of performances and installations, entitled 7 Configurations, focused on the conflictual relations between artificial intelligence and body politics. Co-produced by CTM Festival and Chronus Art Center with the support of Goethe-Institut and the Berlin U. of the Arts, the works are currently touring in Europe and Asia.
Donnarumma received numerous acknowledgments, the most recent include the Digital Award at Romaeuropa Festival 2018 for Eingeweide; two awards at the Bains Numériques Biennial 2018 (Performing Arts and Press Award), as well as the Award of Distinction (2nd prize) in Sound Art at the Prix Ars Electronica 2017 for Corpus Nil; and the endowment of Artist of the Science Year 2018 by the German Federal Ministry of Research and Education for Amygdala. He holds a Ph.D. in performing arts, computing and body theory from Goldsmiths, U. of London, and in 2016-18 was a Research Fellow at the Berlin U. of the Arts in partnership with the Neurorobotics Research Lab Berlin. His writings are published by MIT Press, Oxford University Press, Routledge, ACM and Springer.
“Marco represents the potential and vitality of the new generation of artists.”
Dajuin Yao, Artist and Curator, RPM: Sound Art China
“Technical, compelling and powerful.”
Teddy Lo, Artist and Curator, Hong Kong
“Marco Donnarumma has taken man-machine interfacing one step further.”
Dr. Ahmed Morsy, Deputy Editor in Chief, IEEE Pulse Magazine
“Paul Virilio called progress a ‘medusa that one must look at directly with a mirror’, Donnarumma’s work can be understood as such a mirror.”
Daniela Silvestrin, Curator, Germany
Education
2012/16 Ph.D. Arts & Computational Technology, Goldsmiths, University of London. Supervisors: Atau Tanaka, Matthew Fuller. Examiners: Lisa Blackman, Sergi Jordà.
2010/12 MScR with Honors Sound Design, University of Edinburgh
2004/07 BA with Honors New Technologies for the Arts, Venice Academy of Fine Arts
Awards
2018 Eingeweide, First Prize, Digital Award, Romaeuropa Festival, IT
2018 Corpus Nil, First Prize for Performing Arts / Prix Arts Vivants “Adami”, Bains Numériques Biennial, FR
2018 Corpus Nil, First Prize of the Press Jury / Prix Arts Vivants “Presse”, Bains Numériques Biennial, FR
2018 Amygdala, Wissenschaftjahr Preis for Art and Science, German Federal Ministry for Education and Research and Wissenschaft im Dialog, DE
2017 Corpus Nil, Award of Distinction (second Prize) for Sound Art, Prix Ars Electronica, AT
2017 Corpus Nil, Nomination, Ars Electronica STARTS Prize, AT
2014 Nigredo, First Prize, Cynetart Award for Computer Based Art, DE
2013 Nigredo, Second Prize, TransitioMX Award for New Media Art, MX
2012 XTH Sense/Music for Flesh II, First Prize, Margaret Guthman New Musical Instrument Competition, US
2010 Golden Shield Music, Finalist, Screengrab New Media Art Award, AU
2009 Risveglio: Venezia, Honorary Mention, Venice Film Meeting Award, IT
2006 TheSAD, First Prize, BLM International Electronic Music Award, IT
2005 Autoctono, First Prize, Live!iXem Award for Live Media and Electronic Arts, IT
Grants
2018 Goethe-Institut, International Coproduction Fund
in partnership with CTM Festival, Chronus Art Center and Nunu Kong, Berlin, DE / Shanghai, CN.
2016/18 Research Fellowship, Berlin University of the Arts
in partnership with the Neurorobotics Research Laboratoy at Beuth-Hochschule für Technik Berlin.
2012/14 Fellowship, Creativity + Technology = Enterprise, Harvestworks and The Rockefeller Foundation, US
2012/15 European Research Council (ERC) Scholarship, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK
2012 Andrew Grant Bequest Fund, Edinburgh College of Art, UK
2012 Alt-w Production Grant, New Media Scotland, UK
2011 Creative Scotland International Funding, UK
Commissions
2019 CDA, Centre des Arts and Romaeuropa Festival, New Work Commission, FR/IT
2017/18 CTM Festival, New Work Commission for Eingeweide, DE
2015 4DSound, New Work Commission and Residency for 0-Infinity, HU
2014 transmediale / Art Hack Day, New Work Commission for Septic, DE
2013 STEIM, New Work Commission and Residency for Nigredo, NL
2012 European Conference of Promoters of New Music, New Work Commission for Ominous, BE
2011 Danish National School of Theatre and Contemporary Dance, Artistic Residency, DK
2011 New Media Scotland, Work Development and Residency, UK
2005 Laboratory of Stage Arts, New Work Technical Development, LV