Composite Radio Commissions: Edwina Stevens

In speaking about improvisation, does it lose it’s quality? Dissolving back into a genericisation of Time and Place? In a moment of deviation, something comes closer, something becomes further away. Shifts in perception, across space —- time —- self - between and within senses, become far more solid than anything certain. A perpetually shifting arrangement in accumulations, resonance, feedback and overlaps, a questioning of self-perpetuated limitations.

The field is a spatialised audio-visual installation presenting several agro-pastoralist practices as interruptions to Country on Gulidjan, Waddawurrung and Gadubanad Lands. Instigated by being drawn to rock piles seen from the roadside - non-linear, self-composing sounds and images describe improvisational acts of deviation —- trespass —- and wandering, merge with generative resonance, harmonic and oscillating acoustic responses. The work presents current overlaps between agropastoralist practices and the immediate moment of aliveness - as boundaries (fencing, eucalyptus windbreaks), rows, and piles converge with incidental occurances and generative response, to highlight the importance of improvisational ways of thinking and being - while questioning limited imperial language associated with Land and sound-art genericisms, conversely recognising the connective potential of transgressing internal boundaries within the imperialised self, aligning with the autonomy and agency of living Land.

During its initial presentaton, the self composing work will be broadcast from Radio Composite (Brunswick Mechanics Institute, Narrm-Melbourne) - https://radiocomposite.stream/.

This installation forms part of Composite Radio’s 2026 commissioning program, a series of new audio works by Hayden Ryan, Edwina Stevens, Kirby Fary and Joy Zhou.

Developed for live presentation and broadcast from Brunswick Mechanics Institute, the commissions extend Radio Composite’s ongoing program of experimental music, sonic art and critical conversation, bringing artists and audiences together through live performance, transmission and collective listening.

Composite Radio is an artist-run internet radio station broadcasting from Brunswick Mechanics Institute, providing a platform for interdisciplinary practice, community-focused broadcasting and skills sharing.

Biographies:

Edwina Stevens is a Narrm-based audiovisual artist from Aotearoa/Te Wahi Pounamu. Her practice engages improvisational actions in (many forms of) wandering and closer listening, in performance, recording, composition and spatial acoustic possibilities. With a focus on the unanticipated or unknown outcome - she produces works that draw on our potential to learn from slowness and remaining open - to spend time within the complex overlaps and details consistently present around us. Her works come together as compositions, multi-channel sound installations, and moving/still imagery - further expanded through performance, exhibitions, conversations and collective experience.