The avant-garde artist Arca has released a visually striking self-directed video for her track ‘Incendio’. This exceptional video made its debut at Mutant;Destrudo, a four-night performance series commissioned by the Park Avenue Armory, which concluded on Sunday, October 15th.
Filmed on the Armory stage, the visual piece captures Arca’s raw performance, showcasing her mastery and vulnerability. The video features custom technology designed by Japanese artist Daito Manabe, a collaborator in creating a groundbreaking device that converts music signals into electrical signals. Through the use of myoelectric sensors attached to Arca’s face, this radical technology allows for intricate and, at times, intense control and transformation of her expressions. Explaining further, Manabe reveals the ability to intricately maneuver and shape Arca’s expressions using technology, blending control and artistic freedom.
Despite the technological constraints, Arca delivers a potent performance, willingly becoming a vessel, embracing the pleasure and pain that accompany each rhythmic shock.
Directed by Arca herself, Mutant;Destrudo brings together a collective of close friends and collaborators, including Daito Manabe, Rhizomatiks, Carlos Sáez, Unax LaFuente, Sam Rolfes, Tristan Shone, Landscape, Bronze, 4DSound, and more. This collaboration creates a shared space intended for deconstructing preconceptions, resulting in a performance that defies conventions. Arca’s Mutant;Destrudo captivated audiences with its spontaneous improvisation and high-tech experimentalism, earning acclaim as one of the most forward-thinking creations in pop music, as noted by Rolling Stone.
Arca’s artistic journey continues to evolve, embracing unexpected opportunities and pushing boundaries. From DJing at Beyoncé’s Renaissance Paris party to turning heads at Mugler’s Fall Winter 2022/23 Paris show, Arca’s liquid nature allows her to thrive in various artistic realms. Her music, featuring lyrics from Ufo361, accompanied Anne Imhof’s YOUTH exhibition debut at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. Notably, her original composition titled “Séance,” with words by Chloë Sevigny, enriched Proenza Schouler’s Fall Winter 2023 runway show. Arca headlined significant events like the reopening of the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles and the Field Day festival in London, further establishing her influential presence. Her Mutant;Destrudo residency at the Park Avenue Armory served as a remarkable accomplishment within this transformative period.
The release of the KICK series has propelled Arca into a new phase of her career, solidifying her as a cultural phenomenon and a trailblazer in Latin American music. Her exceptional work in the KICK series led to nominations for two Latin GRAMMYs and one GRAMMY, showcasing the impact of her innovative sound. Arca’s versatility extends beyond music, with collaborations spanning renowned fashion labels such as Loewe, Acne Studios, Dior, Proenza Schouler, Reebok, Byredo, Ray-Ban, Bottega Veneta, and Mugler. Her boundary-pushing approach in remixing tracks for artists like Lady Gaga, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, and Laurie Anderson, as well as her production work for Lil Uzi Vert and Travis Scott, enhances her creative portfolio. Furthermore, Arca introduced MUTANT, a digital webstore representing her product division, and collaborated with Chroma Studios to develop the Lux Aeterna app, inviting fans to delve into a digital audiovisual world that explores her art. Additionally, her paintings have been showcased through CIRCA’s Untitled project, displayed across a global network of screens in cities such as Los Angeles, Milan, Melbourne, New York, Seoul, Tokyo, and London.
The release of the KICK series has propelled Arca into a new phase of her career, solidifying her as a cultural phenomenon and a trailblazer in Latin American music. Her exceptional work in the KICK series led to nominations for two Latin GRAMMYs and one GRAMMY, showcasing the impact of her innovative sound. Arca’s versatility extends beyond music, with collaborations spanning renowned fashion labels such as Loewe, Acne Studios, Dior, Proenza Schouler, Reebok, Byredo, Ray-Ban, Bottega Veneta, and Mugler. Her boundary-pushing approach in remixing tracks for artists like Lady Gaga, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, and Laurie Anderson, as well as her production work for Lil Uzi Vert and Travis Scott, enhances her creative portfolio. Furthermore, Arca introduced MUTANT, a digital webstore representing her product division, and collaborated with Chroma Studios to develop the Lux Aeterna app, inviting fans to delve into a digital audiovisual world that explores her art. Additionally, her paintings have been showcased through CIRCA’s Untitled project, displayed across a global network of screens in cities such as Los Angeles, Milan, Melbourne, New York, Seoul, Tokyo, and London.
Follow
@arca1000000
Feature photo by Unax LaFuente
