Truss is a roaming performance in collaboration with Johnny Forever Nawracaj which uses wireless sound equipment that is carried on or moved by the bodies of the performers, making it ideal for outdoor resonate locations.

The piece opens with Gambletron dragging a mobile synthesizer sound station into the performance space. Equipped with an antenna built from locally sourced materials, they push a cart strapped with tiny synths, homemade electronic instruments, and a small AM radio Theremin. Gambletron’s transmits a loud, disjointed, rhythmic soundtrack through a short range but powerful FM transmitter. The sound is received by a set of radios carried by performance artist Johnny Forever Nawracaj. The radios become a modular PA system carrying Gambletron’s live sound. Johnny Forever begins stacking the radios into two columns. Once these are high enough, the Johnny plastic-wraps each stack of radios to their legs. The modular radio PA is now a sonic exoskeleton augmenting the performer’s movement. Johnny Forever takes heavy steps through the performance space and attempts to contort their burdened body in response to the heavy, glitch soundtrack provided by their partner. Awkward meets elegant as the two performers engage in a sound and movement call and response.

Johnny Forever has become the receiver to Gambletron’s transmission. The piece is not only experimental noise but a slowly evolving, abstract dialogue between performers. Sound invites movement, which in turn augments sound.

The work was performed at Edge Zones gallery for the Miami Performance International Festival curated by Charo Oquet.

Photography by Claudi Marcotulli.