MICHAEL VALLERA


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Michael Vallera (b. 1984) is a musician and visual artist who uses the guitar and electronics to explore stasis, texture, and an overall sense of intimate sonic space. His visual work employs photography and collage to communicate similar themes, highlighting aspects of symmetry and balance.

In 2010, he received his MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a concentration in Sound, with a particular focus on studio techniques related to long-form composition and drone music. Structures of repetition and dissonance are staples of his sound-based practice, influenced equally by principles of minimalism and the unique history of experimental guitar musics, drawing critical comparison of his work to the likes of Keith Rowe and Christian Fennesz.

He has collaborated through performance and recording with artists such as Lee Ranaldo, Loren Connors, Doug McCombs, and Steve Hauschildt. He performs as Cleared with percussionist Steven Hess and as Maar with visual artist and musician Joseph Clayton Mills.