Ryan Dennison is a Diné (Navajo) musician and artist from Gallup, NM. Through creating compositions and instruments, he shares his social and political soundscape, which is a vision of the future he sees in our environment and community. It’s based on experiential knowledge passed down from Diné traditions his Grandmother, mother and family have taught. He wishes to continue and up hold traditional values to emphasize indigenous thought and empowerment. Further working towards indigenous narratives that provide the ground work for pertinent social mechanisms and cultural framework for indigenous people.

Navajo Rug / Noise Loom is a piece in memory of the artist’s grandmother, Lucy Frazier who weaved Navajo rugs. Contact microphones are attached to the base of the loom. While the vibrations of weaving a rug are generated, the sounds are manipulated and constructed into a composition. Showing a relationship in sound, from weaver to rug and composer to instrument. The performance of weaving a rug shows reciprocity we have for the earth and the intention to care for one another.