Born in Lima, Peru and based in NYC, Maria Chávez is best known as an abstract turntablist, sound artist and DJ. Chavez’s 2012 book on abstract turntablism, Of Technique: Chance Procedures on Turntable, written and illustrated by Maria, has developed a reputation as both an academic resource and a foundational text for a new generation of turntablists.

Maria was on the cover of the Wire Magazine for March of 2023 and is currently on the cover of the textbook on the History of Experimental & Electronic music by Routledge Publishing.

She is the only turntablist in the world that has been performing with a rare needle called the RAKE Double Needle. This needle contains 2 needles on one head shell allowing it to read 2 different parts of one record at the same time.

Chavez’s abstract turntablism work is known for taking the detritus of vinyl and repurposing them into sonic sculptures that can sometimes be compared to improvised musique concrete pieces, or, conceptually, improvised sonic sculpture sessions.

Her recital style approach focuses on the various forms of Deep Listening, a form of listening practice developed by her mentor Pauline Oliveros. Coincidence, chance & failures are themes that unite her book objects, sound sculptures, installations & other works with her improvised solo turntable performance practice.

Maria was featured in the summer issue of Art Forum’s Sound Art section in 2021 and her latest essay on how multi-media installation practices can be considered part of encouraging neuroplasticity in society is now available via E-Flux Journal and the Guggenheim Museum.

Her large scale sound & multi-media installations along with other works have been shown at the Getty Museum, the JUDD Foundation in Marfa, TX, Documenta 14 in Kassel, Germany and HeK (Haus der elektronischen Künste Basel) amongst many other institutions around the world.

She was a David Tudor and Robert Rauschenberg Arts Fellow and a Research Fellow for Goldsmith's Sound Practice Research Department (2015-17), Maria’s solo exhibition, Absorption Sculpture: The Orange Show, 2023 was on view inside a 20,000 sq. ft. loading dock and her previous solo retrospective of all her works on paper, was on view with Sheehan Gallery at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, during the Spring of 2022.

Maria was part of the group exhibition, Don’t Blame it on ZEN: The Way of John Cage & Friends, curated by Jade Dellinger, Director of the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at FSW, at MOCA Jacksonville in Florida from October 28, 2022 - May 7, 2023 and at the Black Mountain College Museum in 2022. Artists works featured in this exhibition include John Cage, Laurie Anderson, Glenn Branca, Christian Marclay,

Charlotte Moorman, Yoko Ono, Nam June Paik, Robert Rauschenberg and others. Maria’s white Carrara marble sculpture, Vinyl Groove #1, was one view at the Wallach Gallery at Columbia University for the summer of 2023. The sculpture was shown alongside a listening installation that contains the discography of Maria’s duo project with multi instrumentalist Jordi Wheeler as part of the Uptown Triennial 2023 group exhibition curated by Betti-Sue Hertz, Director and Chief Curator, Lewis Long, Associate Director, External Affairs and Souleo, Independent Curator. Maria’s next solo exhibition, Paper, Rock, Sicissors, 2023 is currently on view at Mercy Gallery in Hartford, CT from Nov. 9th, 2023 - Jan. 19, 2024.

She recently released new recordings with Sandy Ewen via OrbTapes and recently released a flexi disc with Devin Kenny via Ballastnvp. Her latest album with Jordi Wheeler via Cafe Oto’s Takuroku label is now available to purchase online as is her cassette release with collaborator Lucas Gorham via Ratskin Records which was released in the fall of 2020. Her album, !Maria Chavez PLAYS Stefan Goldmann"s Ghost hemiola” was nominated for a Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik in Jan. of 2020.

Her Abstract Turntablism Trio with Victoria Shen and Mariam Rezaei premiered their first live performance piece as artist in residence with the Counterflows Festival (Glasgow) and the Rewire Festival in the

Hague, the Netherlands in the spring of 2023. The trio will perform for in Brussels for Musique et Fêtes, Donau Festival and more in 2024.