Caldiero Vita — Alex Caldiero: The Sonosopher

Alex Caldiero

VITA

Caldiero is a teacher, polyartist, sonosopher, and scholar of humanities and inter-media. He makes things that at times appear as language or pictures or music--and then again, as the shape of your own mind.

Born in the ancient town of Licodia Eubea, near Catania, Sicily, he immigrated with his family to the United States at age nine. Raised in Manhattan and Brooklyn, NY. He attended Queens College in Flushing, NY. Apprenticed to the sculptor-poet Michael Lekakis and the poet-bard Ignaziu Buttitta; clandestine student and friend of experimentalist N.H. Pritchard. Caldiero has traveled thru Sicily, Sardinia, Turkey and Greece collecting proverbs, tales, and folk instruments. He is co-founder of Arba Sicula, the society for the preservation of the Sicilian language and traditions. He is co-recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant and recipient of Utah Performing Arts Tour; recipient of Best Poetry Award from the Association for Mormon Letters, and the Salt Lake City Mayor’s Award for Literature. He is senior artist in residence at Utah Valley University.

Publications include Sound Weave with Theta Naught (Differential Records), sonosuono (Elik), Poetry Is Wanted Here! (Dream Garden Press), Some Love (Signature Books), Who is the Dancer, What is the Dance(saltfront); anthologized in A Dictionary of the Avant-Gardes (Routledge; 3rd edition), Text-Sound Texts(Morrow, NY), Fire in the Pasture & Mother in Heaven (both from Peculiar Pages, CA), Immediate Present(Mormon Arts Center). Caldiero is the subject of the documentary Alex Caldiero…in sound…in life, and Per-Sonal Effects, volume two of Sonosophy.

POLYARTIST WORK

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS IN VARIOUS MODES

Books

MONAD. Clown War broadside, NYC, 1973.

FROM STONE TO STAR. Incurve Press, NYC, 1977.

LU LATTI DI LA MATRI/The Milk of the Mother. CSSSS, Catania, Sicily, 1980.

FIVE POEMS. Privately printed, 1992.

OR, BOOK O' LIGHTS. Limited edition, artist book, 1993.

TOY BLOOD. Privately printed, 1994.

VARIOUS ATMOSPHERES. Signature Books, SLC, UT. 1998.

ILLEGIBLE TATTOOS. Limited edition, letter press artist book. Meyer & Liechty, Lindon, UT. 1999.

AH-BH-GH. Limited edition, letter press artist book. Kinde Nebeker, Salt Lake City, UT. 1999.

BODY/DREAMS/ORGANS. Elik Press. SLC. 2005.

ISLANDER. Longhouse Press, Vermont. 2007.

POETRY IS WANTED HERE! Dream Garden Press in 2010.

SONOSUONO. Elik Press, 2013.

SOME LOVE, Signature Books, 2015

WHO IS THE DANCER, WHAT IS THE DANCE, saltfront, 2016

PER-SONAL AFFECTS: Sonosophy vol. 2. Elik Press, 2020.

Anthologies

TEXT-SOUND TEXTS, Richard Kostelanetz, ed., Morrow, NY, 1980.

ASSEMBLING ANTHOLOGY, Richard Kostelanetz, ed., NYC.

UTAH: STATE OF THE ARTS, Trudy McMurrin, ed., Meridian International, Ogden, UT, 1993.

ORIGINS, Sixth Series, Bob Arnold, ed., continuation of the Origins Series edited by Cid Corman. Longhouse Press, Vermont. 2008.

FIRE IN THE PASTURE, Tyler Chadwick, ed. Peculiar Pages, CA, 2011.

IMMEDIATE PRESENT, Laura Allred Hurtado, ed. Mormon Arts Center, NYC, 2017.

DOVE SONG: HEAVENLY MOTHER IN MORMON POETRY, Tyler Chadwick, Dayna Patterson, ed. Peculiar Pages, CA, 2018.

DICTIONARY OF THE AVANT-GARDES (3rd Edition), Richard Kostelanetz, ed. Routledge, 2019.

Literary Magazines

Clown War (Clwn Wr), Gyro, Flute, Hand Book, Arte e Folklore di Sicilia, Maledicta, Arba Sicula Review,

Screens & Tasted Parallels, Poor Roberts Almanac, Canyon Echo, Mad Hatter, Stained Sheets.

Videotapes/DVDs

SANDSCYCLES, Meditation video (sound track/performance). With choreography and Earth Spirit Process by Maida Rust Withers. Produced by Verabel Cluff, 1992.

THE JOURNEY TWO STEPS LONG: Language Performance Works. Produced by Brandon Kiggins, University of Utah, 1993.

WORDS: EXTERIOR/INTERIOR. Language Acts. Produced by Steve W. Olpin. 1999.

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GINSBERG’S HOWL (65th anniversary commemorative digital conjuration). Oct 2020.

CDs/Audiotapes

DREAM TRACTS: A Transenvironmental performance. Audiotape. Produced by Scott Carrier, 1992.

ENSPHERED: transenvironment1. Audiotape. Produced by Scott Carrier. 1993.

ILLEGIBLE TATTOOS. Words/voice/drum. CD. Produced and performed by Alex Caldiero. 1998.

SPHOTA PROBE. Sonosophical/text works. CD. Produced by Mike Collins. 1999.

PIECES IN PLACES: Transenvironmental performances. CD. 2002.

FROM SOUND MIND: Acts of Language. CD. 2003.

SOUND WEAVE. Word-music album w/ music by Theta Naught. CD. Differential Records. 2006.

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SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

LANGUAGE & STRUCTURE IN NORTH AMERICA. Group show. Kensington Arts Assn.,Toronto, Canada, 1975.

VISUAL POETRY EXHIBITION. Group show. Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Penn., 1977.

WORDS AND IMAGES. Two-person show w/poet Bob Heman. Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1978.

LOST & FOUND: An Archeological Composition. Multimedia collaboration with sculptor David Furman.

Salt Lake Art Center, SLC, UT, 1987.

DREAMS & SHIELDS: Spiritual Dimensions in Contemporary Art. Group show of artists of the Western states. Salt Lake Art Center, SLC, UT, 1992.

DREAM TRACTS. Language/sound track for Dreamtime: an installation by Ross Coats. Pritchard Art Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, 1992.

BUSLINES: Poetry on Public Transportation. Poster poem. Utah Transit Authority/The Contemporary Arts Group, SLC, UT. 1993.

THE UNCLOSED HAND. Five-person exhibition. RevISIONS: a language performance installation. Salt Lake Art Center, SLC, UT, 1994.

THE FOOD THAT FITS THE HUNGER. One-person exhibition. Paintings/installations/text art/video/audio tapes. Salt Lake Art Center. SLC, UT, 1995.

UTAH ARTS FESTIVAL EXHIBITION. Invitational. Union Pacific Depot, SLC, UT, 1995.

ARTISTS IN THE COPY CENTER. Group show. Vital Arts Gallery, SLC, UT, 1997

LOVE IN HELL: Contemporary Artists Reflect on Orpheus and Eurydice. Four-person show. “Bones and Love Poems” Installation. Salt Lake Art Center, SLC, UT 2002.

SAID Z. Installation text art w/ visual responses by Alex Bigney. Stewart Gallery, Boise, ID. 2002.

Shown again at the Kimball Art Center, Park City, UT. 2003.

AFTER THE TREE HAD FALLEN. Two-person show w/ Frank McEntire. Art Access Gallery, SLC. UT. 2003.

Catalogs of Exhibitions

LOST & FOUND: An Archeological Composition. Salt Lake Art Center, SLC, UT, 1987.

DREAMS & SHIELDS: Spiritual Dimensions in Contemporary Art. Salt Lake Art Center, SLC, UT, 1992.

THE UNCLOSED HAND. Community Press, SLC, UT, 1994.

PERFORMING THE BOOK: Caldiero=s The Food that Fits the Hunger. SLC, UT.1995.

WESTWARD BOUND: An Exhibition Celebrating Book Arts in the West.

Mariott Library, University of Utah, SLC, UT. 2000.

AFTER THE TREE HAD FALLEN: Recent works and collaborations. Alex Caldiero & Frank McIntyre.

Limited edition catalog. Marshall Studios.2003.

SELECTED PERFORMATIVE WORKS

Legend: ^ solo or group; { collaboration; [ site specific

TRANSNOTIONS: Text-sound performance. Gayle Weyher Gallery, SLC, UT, 1985. ^

INVITATION TO MULTIPLICITY: Performance in multimedia installation. Salt Lake Art Center, SLC, UT, 1987. ^

RED ROCKS TALK: Participations in environment as re-creation area. Coyote Gulch, Utah wilderness, 1988. [

THE ORIGIN OF SOUND: Transenvironmental performance. With sculpture by Von Allen and Brian Haskel. Old Payson Library building, Payson, UT, 1989. {

PINK SHARP AND HIS FRIENDS: Transenvironmental performance. With installation by the same name by Brent Gehring. The Art Shop Building, Springville, UT, 1990. {

OF THE MUSES: Polyptych of showings. Multi-event throughout museum building. Springville Museum, Springville, UT, 1991. ^

IN TWO SEAS: Language performance/dance. Utah Academy of Arts & Letters. University of Utah, SLC, 1992. ^

HUNGER FOR AN UNKNOWN FOOD: Language performance. Brigham Young University Performing Arts Series. Madsen Recital Hall, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 1992. ^

DAY IS DONE: Children's radio. Language/sound explorations. KRCL in SLC, UT, 1993-1995. {

FRAGILE ECOLOGIES: Contemporary Artists' Interpretations & Solutions. Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Series (SITES). Transenvironmental performance. Salt Lake Art Center, SLC, UT, 1993.[

CONFESSIONS. Dance/word collaborations. The Space for Dance, Boulder, Colorado, 1993. {

IN WINDS OF SAND. Voice/drum soundtrack, w/dance by Maida Withers & mixed-media sculpture by Maria Theresa Fernandes. Marvin Center Theater, Washington, D.C., 1993. {, [

OUTSIDE DANCE. Dance/music/word collaborations. Performance in the Wasatch landscape. SLC, 1995/96. {, [

HOWL: 40th anniversary performance of Ginsberg’s Howl. Left Bank Gallery, SLC, Oct.,1995.^,

BETWEEN SIDESHOW & TEMPLE. Language performance. Sunstone Symposium, SLC, UT, 1996. ^

CHARMING THE ANTELOPES. Transenvironmental performance w/ICEBURN Collective and improvised installations by Scott Carrier. Puddle Valley, west desert, UT, 1996. {, [

A POETRY SWEAT. Text/language act. Feature performance at Utah Arts Festival, SLC, 1997. ^

SPHOTA PROBE. Language act w/installation “Encountering Energy” by Trent Alvey. Art Barn, SLC, UT.1998. ^, {

BONES & LOVE POEMS. Text-performance w/installation by the same name as part of ALove in Hell@ Contemporary Artists Reflect on Orpheus and Eurydice. Salt Lake Art Center. 2000. ^

SQUAT. Language act. The Proving Ground concert series. Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, SLC. 2000. ^

SONOSOPHY. Language act. Utah Valley State College, Orem, UT. 2001. ^

JUST BEFORE SUNSET. Transenvironmental performance. Antelope Island, UT. 2002. ^, [

WORDS FOR WORDS. Language act. Cordell Taylor Gallery. Denver, CO. 2002. ^

SAID Z. Language act w/installation of visual responses by Alex Bigney. Stewart Gallery, Boise, ID. 2002, and at the Kimball Art Center, Park City, UT. 2003. ^, {

INTERPLAY: Intransitive Senses. Internet broadcast performance. Computer/word/music/dance collaboration. With Jimmy, Beth, Hanelle Miklavcic; Harold Carr, Flavia, Kate Macleod, Sam Liston. University of Utah Intermountain Networking & Scientific Computation Center. Salt Lake City, UT. 2003. ^, {

BETWEEN FOLKLORE AND AVANT-GARDE: Touring Performance/lecture. Gruppo Folk Campidano di Quartucciu e Comune di Quartucciu, presso Casa Angioni, Quartucciu, Sardegna; Circolo Culturale Giacomo Giardinia e L=Unitre. Bagheria, Sicilia; Centro Studi Storico-Sociali Siciliani e Circolo Unificato Ufficiale e Sottufficiali, Catania, Sicilia. 2003.^

SPHOTA PROBE (Take 2). The 9th Improvisation Festival. With choreography/dance by Maida Withers and music ensemble. George Washington University, Washington DC. 2003. {

LIGHT FROM A DIFFERENT SUN: Sicilian Language Poetry Recital. Utah Valley State College, Orem, UT.2004. ^

SEJT-ELEM by Gal Eszter. Soundtexts (szoveg) by Alex Caldiero. Tanc Festival, Hungary. 2004. ^

A YEAR FROM LATER: Recent Works & Quirks. Ken Sanders Rare Books, SLC. 2003 and Utah State University, Logan, UT. 2004. ^

ESCALANTE CANYONS EVERETT RUESS DAYS. Transenvironmental performance. Escalante, UT. 2004. ^

HOWL BY ALLEN GINSBERG. 50th anniversary performance. Great Salt Lake Book Festival. SLC. 2005. ^

THE BEAT GENERATION AND THE POWER OF EXPRESSION: O.C. Tanner Symposium. Featuring “Semina Culture: Wallace Berman and His Circle,” a traveling exhibit, including readings/performances by Alex Caldiero, Bill Berkson, Michael McClure, David Meltzer, & Ann Waldman. Utah State University, Logan, UT. 2006. ^

UVU Guest Author Series. Sound performance with band Theta Naught. UVSC, Orem. 2006. [

THE ABC No Rio Reading Series. Reading in with Jane Ormerod & Leonard Gontarek. Lower East Side, NYC. 2006 ^

ITALIAN POETS, PAST & PRESENT. Sonosophical recitations from Dante, Cavalcanti, Petrarca, da Lentini, Leopardi, Ungaretti, Quasimodo, F.T. Marinetti, & Antonio Porta. Italian Center of the West, SLC, UT. 2006. ^

13th ANNUAL MARTIN LUTHER KING COMMEMORATION. Faculty performances. UVSC, Orem 2007. {

FARE WELL & HELL O! a collaboration of dance, electronics, video, and performative text. With: Maida Withers, (dance) Steve Hilmy (musics), Alex Caldiero (performative text) and Ayodamola Okubseinde (multimedia and electronics). Featured at the Utah Arts Festival. 2008. {

NOTTE FUTURISTA / FUTURIST NIGHT. Performances of Italian futurist poets. St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, SLC. 2009. ^

HOWL BY ALLEN GINSBERG. 60th anniversary performance. Sale City Main Library, SLC. 2015. ^

FILMOGRAPHY

WELCOME TO THE RUBBER ROOM (2017)

Director: Trent Harris

Writer: Trent Harris

Stars: Alex Caldiero, Richard Dutcher, Natalie Keezer |See full cast & crew »

LUNA MESA (2011)

Director: Trent Harris

Writer: Trent Harris

Stars: Alex Caldiero, Richard Dutcher, Emily Pearson | See full cast & crew

CHLOE’S BLANKET (1996)