Harsh Noise: Conversation with Autumn Chacon

In this episode we hear from Diné and Xicana sound artist Autumn Chacon who uses her activism, art practice and community involvement to communicate as a contemporary storyteller both locally and internationally. Autumn starts the conversation with reflection on the term Artist and how claiming this identity allows for a breaking of the rules institutional working environments do not allow. We talk about sound and noise art, the complications of being a conceptual artist, and Anarchism as a way to force understanding. We learn how Autumn became an activist at a young age, informed by her parents and their generations' advocacy and frontline work. Autumn shares her cultural relationship to sound and waveforms and how she has committed her life's work to the deconstruction of ownership and forced regulations - which she carries out in all facets of her artistic practice. We look at the global solidarity that was formed at Standing Rock during the NODAPL action and Autumn reflects on her time in the movement. Autumn breaks down a global performative action she organized with other Indigenous women in order to block funding for extractive industry and which has been formatted and used in actions globally. We end our conversation with Autumn's work as a pirate radio engineer and we learn how broadcast transmission plays an important role in her art practice - breaking the boundaries of how art is accessed in institutional spaces. She pays homage to the long lineage and power of “illegal” broadcasting and reflects how pirate radio forces us to ask an important question: ‘Who do you ask permission to, and why?’ Autumn’s sovereign communication tactics and long standing work as a sound artist and broadcast engineer continues on from a long line of activists who have used waveform as a critical tool for survival and communication during resistance. Autumn urges us to bring front and center an awareness of an ongoing silent struggle for our rights - reminding us to pay attention. End track: Glory Horse by TenderizorBroken Boxes Podcast intro music by India Sky