About | Biography | CV

 

About

Jockel Liess is an audiovisual artist and composer influenced by Post-Cagean aesthetics and artistic traditions of visual and musical minimalism. His mainly abstract works are meditative environments as explorational spaces of aesthetic concepts. They examine microtonality, timbre, texture, colour and the self-similarity of image and sound, as well as the indeterminacy of change.

Each work is an autonomous live-generative computer system with the ability to perform or improvise. Each system is thus both instrument and performer within the framework of the piece. Once set in motion the audiovisual compositions have no clear beginning, end, or in the traditional sense progression. They rather exist in a state of infinite renewal, an equilibrium both unpredictable and stable in its aesthetic flow. Striving to recreate the organic flexibility of nature they can be seen as a form of organic compositions.

The aesthetic of each piece is created as a terrain of possibilities; its momentary manifestation governed by the indeterminacy of its journey through this terrain. The individual algorithms controlling progression and change are embodiments of the fractal concept of infinity within a finite space. Based on the underlying principles of chaos theory and swarm behaviour, they aspire to create artificial models of the unpredictable self-similarity inherent to the natural world.

Installations are site-specific and composed to focus the experience of the time-based medium. They aim to invite the viewer into the work and erode the boundaries between audience and installation.

 

Biography

Jockel Liess graduated with an MMus in Studio Composition from the Electronic Music Studio at Goldsmiths University of London in 2012 and an BA(hons) in Fine Art from Byam Shaw School of Art in 2000. He currently lives and works in London. Jockel exhibits his large-scale audiovisual installations and compositions in gallery environments, as well as in festivals and concerts nationally and internationally. In addition to his solo work, he has collaborated on a variety of projects with other artists, musicians, filmmakers and scientists. Jockel is a member of the artist collective The London Group.


CV

Releases:

  2019 'Call and Response 1' joint release with Ain Bailey on Resterecords
  2017 'ephemeral' on Resterecords
  2016 'fluid variations' on Resterecords
  2016 'bordun chorus' on Resterecords

Solo Exhibitions:

  2016 'Resterecords Presents - Bordun Chorus', Cafe Oto Project Space, London, UK
  2014
 'Primordial', Channel Normal - Online Gallery
  2007 'An attempt to make a sculptural notation for a structural composition', Collaborative Work with Installation Artist Emma Hammarén, France Fiction Gallery, Paris, France
  2006
 'An attempt to make a sculptural notation for a structural composition', Collaborative Work with Installation Artist Emma Hammarén, M+R Gallery, London, UK

Selected Exhibition:

  2024
 ‘Small Wonders’, Croydon Art Space, Croydon, UK
‘Stillness in Movement’, Bermondsey Project Space, London, UK
'NATURE' International Photography Exhibition, The Glasgow Gallery of Photography, Glasgow, Scotland
  2023
 'The London Group at Scarborough', Old Parcels Office, Westboroughn, UK
'The London Group Open 2023', Copeland Gallery, London, UK
  2022
 'The London Group at Bankside', Bankside Gallery, London, UK
'Projected Topographies', Saturation Point, London, UK
'Catch Your Breath', Morley Gallery, London, UK
'The Ephemeral and the Evanescence Perception', LoosenArt, Millepiani, Rome, Italy
  2021
 'The London Group Christmas Exhibition', The Cello Factory, London, UK
'In Plain Sight', Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Honiton, UK
'In the Dark III BEING THERE', St John's Crypt, London, UK
  2020
 'The London Group Annual', The London Group - Online Gallery
'My Favourite Work', The London Group - Online Gallery
'In The Dark: Even Darker', The Cello Factory, London, UK
  2019
 'which is without being', The London Group - Online Gallery
'The London Group Open 2019', The Cello Factory, London, UK
'In the Dark', The Cello Factory, London, UK
  2018 'Povera' The London Group Open 2017 President's Prize, The Cello Factory, London, UK
  2017 'The London Group Open 2017' The Cello Factory, London, UK
  2015 'Equalizer.space', 2015 The Wrong New Digital Art Biennale, curated by Channel Normal
'Distance Between The Journeys', Muang Korn Contemporary Art, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
'Surface Arts at SLUICE 2015 Art Fair', Bargehouse, South Bank, London, UK
'Across the Ocean', TAIL (Thai Arts Initiative London), Bournemouth Pier, Bournemouth, UK
'Distance, Between the Journeys', Tadu Contemporary Art, Bangkok, Thailand
  2014 'Microworld : Kinetica', Kinetica Art Fair, London, UK
'Microworld Cardiff 2', Arcadecardiff, Cardiff, Wales
  2013 '3rd Space' a Surface Arts Project, H-Gallery, Chiang Mai, Thailand
'Microworld Margate', Marine Studios, Margate, UK
'Microworld Arcadia', Arcadecardiff, Cardiff, Wales
  2012 'Sho-zyg', St. James’s Hatcham Church, New Cross, London, UK
'Sonic CueB', CueB Gallery, London, UK
  2011 'Absinthe And Presents', The Brewhouse, Taunton, UK
'You are not in control', Netil House, London, UK
  2010 'Curiouser and curiouser', Old Vic Tunnels, London, UK
'Nexus', Phoenix Gallery, Exeter, UK
  2009 'Transition', Bargehouse, South Bank, London, UK
'Transition', Exeter Castle, Exeter, UK
  2008 'Quantifying Play', The Jago Gallery, London, UK
'Wanderlust', Srinakharinwirot University, organised in association with Nine to the power of Nine, Tadu Contemporary Art, and Hof Art, Bangkok, Thailand
'Nearly Nothing', Viewfinder Gallery, London, UK
'Electric Blue', Bargehouse, South Bank, London, UK
  2006 'Bunny Incinerator', Gone Tomorrow Gallery, London, UK
'Betrayed by the senses', Bargehouse, South Bank, London, UK
  2004 'Group Show', Karby Gård Konstcentrum, Stockholm, Sweden
  2003 '9 to the power of 9' - For Human Rights, In association with Amnesty International Rajabhat Institute Suan Dusit, Bangkok, Thailand
  2000 Collaboration with Billy Nicholas, Kingsgate Studios, London, UK
'Naked', Concourse Gallery, London, UK
  1998 'Hot in the City', Hanging Space Gallery, London, UK

Concerts / Events / Festivals:

  2024 Inclinations Film Club’ Partial Wave Child a collaboration with Geoixos, Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow, Scotland
'INTOX EXTRAVAGANZA' Partial Wave Child a collaboration with Geoixos, AMP Studios, London, UK
  2019 'Tickbird and Rhino presents - Ephemeral Transformations 2' collaboration with Dr Zisis Kozlakidis, The Horse Hospital, London, UK
'Resterecords Presents - Call and Response 1 - Album Launch', Cafe Oto, London, UK
'ESPACIO ENTER 2019' - International Festival of Creativity, Innovation & Digital Culture, TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
'Congregation: Performance', ICA, London, UK
  2018 'Tickbird and Rhino presents - Ephemeral Transformations 1' collaboration with Dr Zisis Kozlakidis, The Horse Hospital, London, UK
'Resterecords Presents', Cafe Oto, London, UK
  2017 'ESPACIO ENTER 2017' - International Festival of Creativity, Innovation & Digital Culture, TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
  2016 'ESPACIO ENTER 2016' - International Festival of Creativity, Innovation & Digital Culture, TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
'Transfigured Night', Queen Mary University of London, The Mile End Art Pavilion, London, UK
'Matschulat, Ulterior - Album Launch Party', Deptford Cinema, London, UK
‘Noizemaschin!! London #5’, Amersham Arms, London, UK
  2015 'ESPACIO ENTER 2015' - International Festival of Creativity, Innovation & Digital Culture, TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
'Summer Cinema', Surface Gallery, Nottingham, UK
  2014 'ESPACIO ENTER 2014' - International Festival of Creativity, Innovation & Digital Culture, TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
'Hackney Wicked Cinema Lounge', Lab Film Festival, Swan Wharf, London UK
'Re - Imagining Willesden', A Pop-up Wonderland, London, UK
'Universal Fragments - closing night performance', Large Glass, London, UK
  2013 'The Streaming Festival 2013 - 8th Edition', www.streamingfestival.com, Netherlands
'ESPACIO ENTER 2013' - International Festival of Creativity, Innovation & Digital Culture, TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
'Dear Serge', De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill, UK
'An Evening to celebrate the life and work of Trevor Shearer', The Russian Club, London, UK
'Audio/Visual night for eyes and ears coordinated by Basilar records ', Babble Jar, London, UK
  2012 'Silence and Noise', Power Lunches, London, UK
'Electroacoustics' at Sho-zyg, London, UK
'EMS Concert', Electronic Music Studio, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK
  2010 'Optica Paris 2010', International Festival of Video Art, Paris, France
  2009 '3rd Fresh a Festival of International Video Art and Short Film 2009', SF World Cinema, Central World, Bangkok Thailand - Hosted by the School of Architecture and Design of King Mongkut’s University of Technology, Thailand
'Exploding Cinema' screening at The Half Moon Pub, London, UK
'Optica Cordoba 2009' International Festival of Video Art, Cordoba, Spain
  2008 'Aeon Festival', music-art-comedy-film, Shobrooke Park Estate Crediton, Devon, UK
'Wet Sound', Underwater Sound Festival, touring London, Brighton, Bath, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Carlisle, Edinburgh and Nairn, UK
  2006 'Artist Review Series - Immersivity, Art, Architecture, Sound and Ecology' Durational, Immersive Performance and Consciousness, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK
  2004 'Salt', 291 Gallery, London, UK

Residencies:

  2013 ‘3rd Space’, A Project by Surface Arts in partnership with Traidhos Three Generation for Learning, Chiang Mai, Thailand
  2008

 ‘Wanderlust’, Artist in Residency organised by Nine to the power of Nine in association with Tadu Contemporary Art, Srinakharinwirot University and Hof Art, Bangkok, Thailand

Awards:

  2017
 President's Prize - The London Group, a three person exhibition at The Cello Factory, joint prize with Stephen Carley and Micheál O'Connell

Selected Publications:

  2017 ATTN:Magazine, January (https://www.attnmagazine.co.uk/features/11128)
  2014 Stigmart VideoFocus Autumn, October, (http://issuu.com/stigmart10press)

Articles:

  2015

 Jacob Kirkegaard – Sound–in–itself as a political statement, Interview by Jockel Liess and Mette Slot Johnsen, published by Passive/Aggressive, June