Matthias Hurtl / MMTHS is a media artist and researcher exploring the links between sound, electromagnetism, and telecommunication networks. His interdisciplinary work takes the form of audio-visual performances, sound installations, fixed media compositions, and electronic devices. In recent years knowledge transfer and demystifying radio technology have become a crucial part of his practice through the intersection of art and education.

His current research Drowning in Æther focuses on the audibility of satellite signals through a practice-based approach. The practice he calls signal hunting, is a carefully planned activity that he engages to track and capture the transmissions of satellites using a set of self-built tools and antennas.

Matthias’s works have been shown in exhibitions and festivals in Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa. He holds a Master’s degree from the Institute for Sonology of the Royal Conservatoire in Den Haag and a diploma in Digital Arts of the University for Applied Arts in Vienna.

2017-2019 Institute for Sonology, Royal Conservatoire Den Haag
2009-2015 Department of Digital Arts, University of Applied Arts Vienna
2013 (exchange) Media Design & Communication, Piet Zwart Institute Rotterdam

For inquiries please contact: mths [at] randomaccessmemory [.] at

UPCOMING::

13.10.2023 - Performance @Extratonal Infrastructure #8, Rotterdam, NL
13.10.2023 - Demystifying the Æther Workshop @Extratonal Education, Rotterdam, NL
24-28.05.2023 - Demystifying the Æther Workshop @Mapping Festival, Geneva, CH

TEACHING::

2023 Guest Teacher - Interaction station, Willem de Kooning Academie, NL
2022 Guest Teacher - Autonomous Practices, Willem de Kooning Academie, NL
2022 Guest Teacher - Interaction station, Willem de Kooning Academie, NL
2022 Workshop Leader - Montessori Elementary School De Korf, NL
2017 Workshop Leader - Offene Burg, Burgtheater Vienna, AT
2016 Guest Teacher - Academy of Fine Arts Guangzhou, CN

COMPOSITIONS::

Records from an Emerging City
multichannel composition for sound bikes
commissioned by reflektor ensemble and Conny Zenk
Austria/Germany, 2022

BIOSPHERE
multichannel composition for sound bikes
commissioned by RAD Performance
Austria, 2022

Relaxing on the wings
composition for casette tape players
commissioned by Dr. Klangendum / Concertzender,
The Netherlands, 2020

APOHENIA
Short film directed by Yoana Buzova
The Netherlands, 2014
Composition, Sound design, Mixing

PRODUCTION, SOUND DESIGN, MIXING::

Recipies on the Radio
Podcast by Yoana Buzova & Alice Strete
The Netherlands, 2021
Sound Design, Signature tune

Étude #1: On Recitation
Sound Installation by Rana Hamadeh
The Netherlands, 2019
Sound Design, Editing

PAREIDOLIA
Short film directed by Nan Wang
The Netherlands, 2019
Sound design, Mixing

Seamless Interfaces
composition for VR
commissioned by Brigit Lichtenegger,
The Netherlands, 2016
Composition, Sound design, Mixing

SELECTED WORKS::

2023
Extratonal Infrastructure #8 - Performance, Varia, Rotterdam, NL
Demystifying the Æther - Workshop, Varia, Rotterdam, NL
Demystifying the Æther - Workshop with Félicien Goguey, Mapping Festival, Geneva, CH
Demystifying the Æther - Workshop, Willem de Kooning Academie, NL

2022
Beware of the sirens, little bird - Solo Exhibition, Growing Space Wielewaal, Rotterdam, NL
Records from an Emerging City - Lüneburg, DE
Longform Visions for Earminded People - Performance, Roodkapje Rotterdam, NL
PIrateRadio Workshop, Willem de Kooning Academie, NL
I covered my head as debris rained over me - Artist in Residence - Garaža Kamba x KARAS+KVART, Zagreb, HR
Biosphere - RAD Performance, Performance, Kunstkanal, Vienna, AT
Diving in Aether - Workshop, Willem de Kooning Academie, NL
Foundation Mesh Workshop, Montessori Elementary School De Korf Rotterdam, NL
Radio Worm - Performance, Worm, Rotterdam, NL

2021
Drowning in Aether - Signal Hunting bike rides, Workshop/Performance, Rotterdam, NL
Drowning in Aether - 5 Years of RAAR - Performance, Rotterdam, NL
Drowning in Aether - Saturn at opposition - Artist in Residence, JAB 2021, Jelsa/Hvar, HR

2020
Drowning in Aether - Research grant V2_, Rotterdam, NL
Drowning in Aether - INTIMATE OBSERVATIONS - Artist in Residence, V2_ & Museu0, Tavira, PT
MAYO - Performance, Vrooom X Koffie & Ambacht Goes To Church IV, Rotterdam, NL
MMTHS+OYO - Relaxing on the wings, Dr. Klangendum, Concertzender, NL
MMTHS+OYO - Relaxing on the radio waves, Varia, Rotterdam, NL
CTK 03 - Chaotische Tonkultur - Vinyl Release

2019
LiquidPluse#2 - Performance with Nan Wang, Shiny Toys Festival, DE
Drowning in Aether - Lecture performance, Radical Networks, New York, US
Zodiak Commune 16 - Zodiak Commune - Vinyl Release
Drowning in Aether - Lecture performance, Royal Conservatoire, Den Haag, NL
MMTHS+OYO - Performance, Äquidistanz Festival, Vienna, AT
Drowning in Aether - Lecture performance, Kugelmugel, Vienna, AT

2018
Drowning in Aether - Performance, Varia, Rotterdam, NL
Cranked Tapes - RAD Performance, Workshop/Performance, Kunstkanal, Vienna, AT
Solutions and problems in Extratonality 3 - Perfromance, Schouwburg, Rotterdam, NL
Solutions and problems in Extratonality 4 - Performance, Varia, Rotterdam, NL

2017
Cranked Tapes - Artist in Residence with OYO, Aloardi/Paviljon aan het water, Rotterdam, NL
Liquid Pulses - Performance with Nan Wang, WORM, Rotterdam, NL
Sonology Ensemble - Performance, Studio Loos, Den Haag, NL
advanced obstacles #1 - Performance, Kugelmugel, KM
mobile stories - Performance, WUK / Vienna, Austria, AT

2016
Tracing Sound - Workshop, Academy of Fine Arts / Guangzhou, CN
space village - Performance Parcour, Aspern / Vienna, AT
Winner of the NASA Space apps Hackathon, Noordwijk, NL
Apophenia - Screening, Dobra film festival, Rio de Janeiro, BRA
Seamless Interfaces - Brigit Lichtenegger, Sound Design, Amsterdam, NL
INJECTION - Performance, AIL, Vienna, AT

2015
don’t look into the sun - Exhibition, Fokus Angewandte, Vienna, AT
LOFO - Exhibition, Internet Yami-ichi Market, BrakkeGrond Amsterdam, NL
Apophenia - Screening, Mire, Nantes, FR

2014
Apophenia - Installation, Blikopener Festival, Delft
the essence, Groupexhibition, MAK, Vienna
OYO & MMTHS - Performance, Vrooom#16, Rotterdam
Labadi Rising, system_M, Accra, Ghana
THE USB-SHUFFLE-SHOW - Exhibition, Institut für Alles Mögliche, Berlin
LSD #4 - BLIND_moves, nadaLokal, Vienna

2013
Electric Parade - Exhibition, Galerie Freihausgasse, Villach
Piet Zwart Media Cabaret 3 - Performance, WORM, Rotterdam
digital frictions - Exhibition, Das weisse Haus, Vienna
copy-paste, Artist in Residence, Die Bäckerei, Innsbruck
PARCOURS IV: ART OF READING MAPS, Urbanize Festival, Vienna
soundBrowser - Performance - Poetics of the Everyday, V2_, Rotterdam
AGR - stARTup Camp Rotterdam, Worm, Rotterdam
The Tip Top Orchestra, Worm, Rotterdam
AGR - stARTup Camp Pecha Kucha Night, Worm, Rotterdam
The Tip Top Orchestra Plays Terry Riley's In C, Het Klooster, Rotterdam
MMTHS + JOAK - Performance, VROOM, Het Klooster, Rotterdam

2012
stadt.schreiben – Performance with Daniel Aschwanden and Conny Zenk, Fabrik Publik, Vienna
redefine defaults – Exhibition, Thurn und Taxis, Bregenz
ffid – AudioVisual ObjectManipualtion – Performance, Art‘s Birthday, Ö1 Kunstradio

2011
ffid – AudioVisual ObjectManipualtion – Performance, Festival of fire and moving arts, Novi Sad, Serbia
urban seed – Performance, aspern movement Festival, Flugfeld Aspern, Vienna
ffid – AudioVisual ObjectManipualtion – Performance, Plums Festival, Moscow
ffid – AudioVisual ObjectManipualtion – Performance, fullframe festival 2011, Gartenbaukino, Vienna
Lecture Performance: Stadt in der Stadt – with Daniel Aschwanden and Conny Zenk, Tanzquartier, Vienna

2010
Urban Seed – Performance, unOrtnung, Kartografisches Institut, Vienna
Urban Seed – Performance, Parcours, Seestadt Aspern, Vienna
ffid – AudioVisual ObjectManipualtion – Performance, Space Varieté, Theater des Augenblicks, Vienna
wemakevisuals vs. mths – AV Live Act, DIGITAL, Planetarium, Vienna
ffid – AudioVisual ObjectManipulation – Performance, „Other Dimensions“, Schikaneder, Vienna
ffid – AudioVisual ObjectManipulation – Performance, Mapping Festival, Spoutnik, L’usine Zoo, Geneva
radio feedback – Performance/ Installation, Ö1 Kunstradio, Informelles Radio, Vienna
Dokumentation/ Presse, tagr.tv, Transmediale, Berlin

2009
ffid – AudioVisual ObjectManipulation – Performance, Space Varieté, Theater des Augenblicks, Vienna
mths – no-input-mixing, Live Act, Hört die Signale, EKH, Vienna
„freie Studienplätze für ALLE!“ GRL Bike, Projection/ Performance, #unibrennt, Vienna