Travis Johns is an artist from upstate New York who’s typically known more or less for these three things: 1.) building strange electronics under the nom de plume Vauxflores 2.) performing and composing experimental music, originally as part of the San Francisco BrutalSFX scene, also under the name of Vauxflores, among other assumed aliases and 3.) multidisciplinary art installations mounted alongside his wife Paulina Velazquez Solis, primarily, but not exclusively in various museums throughout Central America. I suppose you could argue that he’s now also known for his teaching, but considering that this is a press kit for a UK tour and he teaches in an entirely different country, it probably makes sense not to dwell so much on that bullet point. Moving on – in May 2023 he’ll be embarking on a one-week whirlwind jaunt through the UK with the intention of teaching a couple DIY electronics workshops, performing electroacoustic music centered around custom electronics that convert brainwave readings into sound and if he’s lucky, also making a couple new friends along the way. Enclosed is the usual formal bio further expanding on what it all is that he does but for more info on any/all (not to mention a whole bunch of pictures of electronics and whatnot) feel free to check out www.vauxflores.com

The official bio:

Travis Johns is a sound artist residing in Ithaca, NY, whose work includes performance, installation and printmaking, often incorporating eco/bio-based themes and electronic instruments of his own design. As an improviser, he performs primarily on electric bass and electronics; with studies in the field conducted under the tutelage of Fred Frith, Joelle Leandre and Butch Morris, among others. Active in the San Francisco Bay Area experimental music scene for several years, Johns moved to Costa Rica in 2011 where he collaborated extensively with visual artist Paulina Velazquez-Solis on Raro, an immersive sound and sculpture installation that represented Costa Rica in the 2013 Biennial of the Central American Isthmus (BAVIC). Since returning to the states, first to Baltimore and later to Ithaca, he’s continued to apply his trade as a composer, educator and sound artist under the nom de plume of VauxFlores,

He holds a B.M. In Technology in Music and Related Arts from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, studies conducted with Tom Lopez, as well as an MFA from Mills College in Electronic Music and Recording Media, studies conducted with Chris Brown, Les Stuck and Hilda Paredes. He has participated in residencies at such places as the Atlantic Center for the Arts and RPI’s Create @ iEar, and has had work featured by el Museo Centroamericano de Arte Video (MUCEVI), the Electronic Music Foundation, Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA), the Bienarte 8 Costa Rican Biennial, el Museo Nacional de Costa Rica, MAC Panama, The California Academy of Sciences, Alianza Francesa de Guatemala, The Lab (San Francisco), Battery Townsley (Marin County, Ca), el Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo de Costa Rica, and Rhizome DC.

Also, a quick video of a recent performance to give an idea on what exactly I’ll be doing ala brainwave performance stuff: