An Acoustic Biography + Journey

Guided by an acoustic ecology lens–how living beings interact with and are impacted by their sound environments—Chasing the Desert Chorus is an ongoing digital archive and multimedia project created and curated by Michelle E. Carreon.

A desert kid at heart, Carreon was born and raised in the Chihuahuan Desert borderlands region, specifically El Paso, TX. After a decade of navigating the cornfields of the Midwest in the pursuit of higher education, she returned home in 2013 to set new roots with the land she missed so much. She holds a Ph.D. in the interdisciplinary field of American Studies with experience in sociological and historical research, as well as media studies. She has engaged in some form of written and visual storytelling all of her life—a seed planted by her childhood thirst to listen to family stories and active imagination.

Reflecting on her own acoustic biography, aural experiences, and commitment to the visual, Carreon is documenting desert and borderlands sights and sounds while learning about the environmental impact of climate disruption, technology, and changing soundscapes on natural and urban life. Always open to new modes of creative expression, these sound explorations are inspiring new forms of her visual art. An ongoing experiment in sound and vision, this project aims to expand our understanding of what it means to hear and contribute to the “chorus” around us.