Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst
Holly Herndon is an American artist and composer based in Berlin. She operates at the intersection of electronic and avant-garde music, forging a unique and disruptive style. Her academic background includes studies in composition from Stanford University, where she earned a Ph.D. from the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics. Her music often incorporates vocals, including her own, and is predominantly computer-based. Herndon uses visual programming languages and neural networks to create custom instruments and vocal processes. Her work has been released on renowned labels such as RVNG Intl. and 4AD. Beyond her solo practice, Herndon has collaborated with notable figures such as writer Reza Negarestani, producer Jlin and design studio Metahaven. Her compositions and soundscapes challenge and transcend conventional categorizations, blurring the boundary between the digital and the human. With deep expertise in vocal processing techniques and proprietary digital instruments, she creates immersive, thought-provoking pieces that defy traditional distinctions.
Mat Dryhurst is an artist and thinker whose work spans music, technology, art, philosophy and activism, embracing a medium-agnostic approach. Collaborating often with Herndon, he has contributed to labels such as PAN and Southern Records. He developed Saga, a self-hosting publishing framework, and serves on the board of the streaming collective Resonate. His recent work focuses on the potential forms of human community in the age of informatic capitalism, and the capabilities and limitations of machine learning.
Herndon and Dryhurst believe that the changes artificial intelligence will bring are set to radically transform the creative landscape, allowing anyone to generate art and music using AI tools trained on the work or likeness of existing creators. Their ongoing collaborative career explores the frontiers of art and technology, AI, machine learning and blockchain systems.
