Jonathan Uliel Saldanha

headers / amalgam / crystal catalyst / axis-mundi / satellite constellation

Amalgamation of light, steam and sound. Catalyst machine. Multi-channel sound space. Choreography for light robots. LITHIUM FAUST is a dissociative system where light and sound define a synthetic landscape with dynamic properties, the topological simultaneity of distinct chronologies and events establish a pact with the time of human presence.


JONATHAN ULIEL SALDANHA is a musician, visual artist, and sound and set designer. He researches areas that intersect pre-language, otherness, science fiction, sound as a contagion vector, and the tension between synthetic and landscape. In 2019, he premiered his voice piece and sculpture SCOTOMA CINTILANTE / DYSMORPHIA (Catholic University of Porto, BoCA – Biennial of Contemporary Arts, Teatro Nacional São Carlos), the electronics percussion piece BROKEN FIELD ATLANTIS (FITEI – International Theatre Festival of Iberian Expression, in Rivoli), and the exhibitions PLAGUE VECTOR (Braga Municipal Gallery), LOCUS AMOENUS, LOCUS HORRIBILIS (Solar Gallery) and BEHEMOTH REPUBLIC (Arquipélago – Contemporary Art Centre, in the scope of Sonic Geometry). Between 2016 and 2018, he presented the installation Vocoder & Camouflage, the piece O Poço [The Pit], the installation OXIDATION MACHINE, the exhibition AFASIA TÁTICA [Tactical Aphasia] and the piece/film SØMA at DDD – Festival Dias da Dança, Verão Azul – International Arts Festival, Do Disturb Festival (Palais de Tokyo, Paris), Anozero: Coimbra Biennale, Culturgest and Cordoaria Naciona. In 2012, he co-curated the programme “SONORES – sound/space/signal” for the Guimarães European Capital of Culture. Since 2009, he co-created the scenic pieces Nyarlathotep and Jungle Machine, which were presented at Accès(s) Festival, balleteatro and Serralves Museum. He also composed a series of pieces that include voice, electronics and resonating space: KHOROS ANIMA, SANCTA VISCERA TUA, DEL, SILVO UMBRA and PLETHORA. He has since worked with artist Catarina Miranda in her pieces. He performed in concerts at festivals such as Unsound, Le Guess Who?, Sónar, Primavera Sound, Amplifest, Out.Fest, Milhões de Festa, Neopop and Elevate. He runs the project HHY & The Macumbas, and he founded the collective SOOPA, a music label and concerts/performances producer from Porto, in 1999. The Serralves Museum published his film/essay Mundo de Cristal, Máquina da Selva [Crystal World, Jungle Machine]. He is an associate artist at Teatro Municipal do Porto for 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 seasons.