Multisensory.
Antidisciplinary.

Jay Afrisando is a composer, multimedia artist, researcher, and educator. He works on aural diversity, disability, accessibility, and decolonizing arts, manifested in music-theater, film, installation, witty storytelling, and other genre-bending experiences.

A group of five actor-instrumentalists accompany a slide projection showing a huge smiley emoji wearing sunglasses. They all show joyful faces. Photo: Reuben Radding. Event: “[opera captions]” at HERE Arts Center, 2023.

A group of five actor-instrumentalists accompany a slide projection showing a huge smiley emoji wearing sunglasses. They all show joyful faces. Photo: Reuben Radding. Event: “[opera captions]” at HERE Arts Center, 2023.

A cozy table set up for four sets of tactile graphic scores, headphones, and captions. A dog sitting on a sofa is seen on further back. Photo: Curb Appeal Gallery. Event: “is sound is tactile is visual is sound is” at Curb Appeal Gallery, 2023.

A cozy table set up for four sets of tactile graphic scores, headphones, and captions. A dog sitting on a sofa is seen on further back. Photo: Curb Appeal Gallery. Event: “is sound is tactile is visual is sound is” at Curb Appeal Gallery, 2023.

A video projection showing a collage of a signer and a vocalist, each performing two different hand and facial gestures. A viewing is set up with a wooden bench in a dark room. Photo: ARTJOG. Event: ARTJOG 2024.

A video projection showing a collage of a signer and a vocalist, each performing two different hand and facial gestures. A viewing is set up with a wooden bench in a dark room. Photo: ARTJOG. Event: ARTJOG 2024.

A 5-monitor installation showing identical images but with five different captions is set up for viewing, with a wooden bench and a chair in a cozy setting. Photo: Terry Perdanawati. Event: “is sound is tactile is visual is sound is” at Curb Appeal G

A 5-monitor installation showing identical images but with five different captions is set up for viewing, with a wooden bench and a chair in a cozy setting. Photo: Terry Perdanawati. Event: “is sound is tactile is visual is sound is” at Curb Appeal Gallery, 2023.

Four Third Coast Percussion members’ right hands are lifted above to mimic a clock’s hand. Behind them are various percussions and a video projection that reads, “I vaporize, yet I become imagination,” in bright text and dark background. Still from C

Four Third Coast Percussion members’ right hands are lifted above to mimic a clock’s hand. Behind them are various percussions and a video projection that reads, “I vaporize, yet I become imagination,” in bright text and dark background. Still from Currents at Constellation recording, Chicago, 2024.

A quiet room containing the black vinyl caption “[your version of welcoming sound]” sitting on a white wall, two bean bags, one table with two water glass bottles, two shelves on the far right corner, warm yet non-intrusive lighting on edge, and a fe

A quiet room containing the black vinyl caption “[your version of welcoming sound]” sitting on a white wall, two bean bags, one table with two water glass bottles, two shelves on the far right corner, warm yet non-intrusive lighting on edge, and a female wearing hijab fidgeting on a desk chair. Photo: Jay Afrisando. Event: Listening with all senses, 2024.

Caption “creamy ice cream, [an inhale of a little monster]” is displayed on a wall via projection, accompanying various instruments being played. A few audience members sit attentively. Photo: Terry Perdanawati. Event: SOUNDING GROUND 2023.

Caption “creamy ice cream, [an inhale of a little monster]” is displayed on a wall via projection, accompanying various instruments being played. A few audience members sit attentively. Photo: Terry Perdanawati. Event: SOUNDING GROUND 2023.