Martin Elias Artiach Oraa
Job description
Mattin is an artist, musician, and theorist working conceptually with noise and improvisation. Through his practice, writing, and pedagogy, he explores performative forms of estrangement as a way to address structural alienation.
He has exhibited and performed worldwide, including at documenta14 (Athens and Kassel), the Shanghai Biennial, Performa (NYC), What is Music? (Sydney & Melbourne), Club Transmediale (Berlin), Arika (Glasgow), Sonic Protest (Paris), and Museo Reina Sofía (Madrid).
Mattin has lectured and taught at institutions such as HDK-Valand (Gothenburg), the Dutch Art Institute (Arnhem), New Centre for Research & Practice (Berlin), CalArts (California), Bard College (New York), Paris VIII, Princeton University, Willem de Kooning Academy (Rotterdam), and Goldsmiths College (London).
In 2017, he completed an international Ph.D. in Artistic Research at the University of the Basque Country under the supervision of philosopher Ray Brassier.
Together with Anthony Iles, he edited the book Noise & Capitalism (Kritika/Arteleku, 2009), which has been translated into Greek and Chinese. Mattin and Iles are currently in the final stages of editing the volume Abolishing Capitalist Totality (Archive Books). In 2012, CAC Brétigny and Tuamaturgia published Unconstituted Praxis, a book collecting Mattin's writings, interviews, and performance reviews.
Urbanomic MIT Press published his book Social Dissonance in 2022, with its Spanish translation released in 2024 by Dobra Robota (Buenos Aires) and Tsonami Ediciones (Valparaíso).
Mattin is a member of the groups Billy Bao, Regler, and Al Karpenter and has over 100 releases on various labels worldwide.
He is also part of the Noise Research Union (NRU) with Cécile Malaspine, Miguel Prado, Sonia de Jager, Martina Raponi, and Inigo Wilkins. Since 2020, he has co-hosted the podcast Social Discipline with Miguel Prado.
The 50 latest publications is shown on this page. See all publications in Cristin here →
Research interests
Through the years, I have developed an interest in a variety of fields, including sound art, philosophy, improvisation, performance, experimental pedagogy, and noise. An important aspect of my research lies in exploring the relationship between freedom, alienation, and subjectivity in contemporary capitalism. Writing, publishing, and editing have been integral parts of my practice.
Here are some of the books I have worked on, which are available online:
Social Dissonance (Urbanomic/MIT Press, 2022)
Social Dissonance delves into the profound tension between the idealized perception of ourselves as autonomous, free individuals—a cornerstone of liberal Western society—and the contradictory capitalist reality that undermines this freedom. Through a deep study of contemporary alienation, Social Dissonance theorizes the social and mental "noise" that emerges from this tension. The book also includes an instructional score, inviting the audience to become active participants and, in doing so, transforming them into instruments for exploring their own instrumentalization. By improvising with their subjectivity, participants engage directly with this specific social noise.
Unconstituted Praxis (Taumaturgia & CAC Brétigny, 2012) extraits de la publication en francais
This book compiles essays, interviews, and performance reviews that reflect on experimental practices of noise and improvisation in relation to art, philosophy and politics. It focuses on the idea of “unconstituted praxis,” exploring how improvisation as an immanent practice can challenge formalization and pre-determined structures through collective engagement, and critical reflection in redefining artistic and social practices.
Noise & Capitalism (edited with Anthony Iles, Kritika/Audiolab, 2009)
This book explores the intersections between noise, improvisation, and the structures of capitalism. By incorporating contributions from artists, musicians, and theorists, the book examines how sound and noise function both as artistic practices and as critiques of socio-economic realities while exposing their limitations. It challenges traditional concepts of value, labor, and authorship in noise practices, offering readers an alternative lens through which to understand culture under capitalism.
Ruido y Capitalismo (Kritika/Audiolab, 2010)
The Spanish-language version of Noise & Capitalism.