A pioneer in sound art, you work in electroacoustic music. How did you become interested in this discipline before making it your specialty?

While studying for my degree in music and composition, I began recording sounds. I bought a microphone and a four-track cassette recorder to conduct my first experiments. Then, in 1988, I created a sound sculpture for a major collective art exhibition in Mexico, where I presented myself as an artist for the first time. With a small synthesis module, I began experimenting with electronic and experimental music. My interest in electroacoustics really started during my master’s program from 1989 to 1991 and after reading Étienne Souriau's book The Correspondence of Arts. That’s how I gradually delved into theory and became interested in both fields. 

How do you approach your compositions and works? What inspires you?

Some of the main themes include the relationship between science and sound, as well as music. Chaos theory in the 1980s, quantum physics, and entropy have also been major inspirations. I explored these themes during my doctoral studies in France at Paris VIII and at IRCAM. Listening is another essential aspect, which I discovered through John Cage in 1986. My dear friend Gabriel Orozco, a globally renowned artist, gave me Cage’s book. In 1993, when Gabriel held his first exhibition in Paris, we collaborated on a conceptual sound piece called Ligne d'abandon. At the time, my work wasn’t just about science and technology; it was also about transformation and the poetics of transforming objects. In recent years, I’ve worked on ideas like eternal return, destruction as creation, and archives as a form of art—subjects inspired by philosophers like Foucault. 

Your music has been performed worldwide, and your works have been exhibited in major museums. What is the most significant memory of your career?

Among the key moments, I recall my first sound sculpture, exhibited in a 1988 collective exhibition in Mexico. Another major milestone was the 1997 exhibition at Artists Space in New York. We were a very close-knit group, friends of Gabriel [Orozco], and it later led to my participation in the Sydney Biennale. It was a rare opportunity because I had done little work as a sound artist at the time. In terms of composition, another milestone was my first complex instrumental piece at IRCAM. Today, I no longer call myself a sound artist but simply an artist. I work with a gallery in Mexico and have held five exhibitions in the past 15 years. This requires me to produce constantly, and this mix of activities gives me a distinct identity. 

You are in residence at the Cité internationale des arts, where you’re working on the concept of drift. What are the main focuses of this residency?

Walking has always been important in my life. I started doing it to take photos when I was 20. While walking, I also recorded soundscapes, though I no longer do that. When I was in Japan in 2000, thanks to a grant from the Japan Foundation, I explored the world and discovered art in the streets. I worked freely, walking all the time and visiting museums. That’s how I created my work in Japan. Here in Paris, I have the same opportunity to go out whenever I feel like it. For instance, if I go to yoga, I choose a studio in Belleville. I’ve even walked from Parc des Princes to Le Marais.

At first, I simply walked, but then I found a clear theme involving two subjects: photographing abandoned objects on the streets with my phone and purchasing obsolete objects at flea markets. I then assemble these objects to "rescue" tools that are no longer in use.

Your work combines multiple disciplines, including sculpture, installation, and painting. Is music always the starting point or simply a thread connecting these art forms? 

Definitely, yes—sound, music, silence, and listening have been the guiding threads of my work, but photography has also been very important. In photography, I’ve gone through phases, starting with black and white before transitioning to color. This is the first time I’ve done something with the photos I’ve been taking for years on my phone. Even when I wasn’t doing anything with them, my practice remained deeply connected to listening to music and sound. 

How do you see the evolution of sound art and electroacoustic music in Mexico and Latin America? 

In the past, things were difficult for electroacoustics in Mexico. The generation of composers born between 1920 and 1950 didn’t support its development. In the 1980s and 1990s, a new generation of self-taught composers and others trained abroad gradually changed this situation. Over a decade ago, an electroacoustic music center was established in Morelia. Today, electroacoustic music is even taught at some universities. 

However, Argentina has produced the most composers, although Mexico is the pioneer of sound art in Latin America. I had the chance to organize an international sound art festival from 1999 to 2002 with Guillermo Santamarina, the former director of Ex Teresa Arte Actual Museum. Guillermo was a visionary curator who always supported transdisciplinary work and showed interest in all kinds of music. I believe we accomplished something significant during that period. Now, there are many artists creating works linked to music and sound. In Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and more recently in Chile, there is a fascinating sound art scene that remains relatively unknown in Europe. It’s our job to promote it. 

I’m currently finishing a book on sound art in Mexico and Latin America, but the most important part will be translating it into English to reach a wider audience. 

What are your upcoming projects? 

I plan to open my studio for an exhibition. However, given the size of the studio, it will be challenging to showcase everything I want to present. I’ve also proposed an exhibition at the Mexican Cultural Institute during Paris Photo next year. Beyond that, I need to finish the book I mentioned earlier. Finally, I’ve received a grant for a project involving five compositions of different types—both instrumental and electroacoustic. This marks a moment for me to return full-time to composition, though I don’t plan to abandon sound art entirely.