artist
Charles Stankievech
Canada
Performance in Moss Church 15 June
Charles Stankievech (b. 1978) is a Canadian artist redefining “fieldwork” at the convergence of geopolitics, deep ecologies, and sonic resonances. From the Arctic’s northernmost settlement to the depths of the Pacific Ocean, Stankievech’s practice uncovers the paradoxes of our existence on the planet by engaging with the imperceptible.
His award-winning work has been presented at art institutions such as the Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin; Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark; Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal; Kunste Werke, Berlin; Palais de Tokyo, Paris; National Gallery of Canada; TBA21, Vienna; as well as several biennials from Venice to SITE Santa Fe. As a composer he mentored under World Soundscape founder R. Murray Schafer and then Alvin Lucier, leading to the premiere of his work Radiance for Philip Glass’ MATA foundation.
He is currently Associate Professor in the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Toronto.
Charles Stankievech
The Glass Key
Sound Performance / Installation
Charles Stankievech’s The Glass Key harnesses subterranean and cosmic sound to blur the edges of time and space, drawing listeners into mesmerizing depths of environmental resonance. Comprising field recordings of the ionosphere’s electromagnetic pulses, watery echoes from Arctic ice and Yucatán cenotes, and infrasonic murmurs from volcanic landscapes in Japan, Iceland, and the Canary Islands, the piece invites meditation on deep time and deep listening.
Initially conceived as a series of concerts merging geological features with sonic performance, The Glass Key transforms each host environment into a site-specific composition shaped by local acoustics. From Mexico’s cenotes to European planetariums and chapels, Stankievech’s immersive approach envelops visitors in waves of layered drones and reverberating organs, conjuring an almost mystical sonic underworld. As part of Between / Worlds: Resonant Ecologies, the work resonates with the liminal thresholds of horizontal reorientation, bridging multiple worlds through transformative sonic passages, while transcending boundaries of place.
