Iris Disse
An artist's biography
Iris Disse, originally from Germany, has spent the last 30 years between Ecuador and Europe. She is a multifaceted creator: writer, teacher, actress, as well as creator and director of radio, theater and video works. She is also a composer of Acoustic Art pieces. Iris studied philosophy, art history, journalism, directing and acting in Munich.
A decade ago she founded Durga's Tiger School, an International School of Tantra, Yoga, Art and Shamanism, with headquarters in Ecuador and projects in various locations in Europe.
Navigating through life
From 1974 to 1994
She worked with several newspapers and radio stations in Germany, creating radio features and acoustic art works.
He founded his own theatre company, the Disse Gries Companie DGC, which performed at international theatre festivals in Germany, Russia, Austria, Mexico and Switzerland.
At the same time he appeared in 22 German TV and cinema films in leading roles such as TATORT and FAHNDER.
In 1993, together with David Höner, he founded PIRATES OF THE VOICE, a performance space in which they performed with local musicians and actors in Berlin, Switzerland, Russia, Mexico, Hungary and Ecuador.
She worked as a teacher of acoustic art at the I, II, III and IV International Radio Biennials in Mexico.
As a German cooperant - media expert - she worked in Ecuador for 6 years, accompanying CEDEP, Centro de Educación Popular, in the creation of a cultural radio station, LA LUNA 99.3, as an international expert of the German cooperation CIM/GTZ.
From 1995 to 2012
In 1995 she founded "ESCUELA PARA ESCUCHAR" and the RAEL Foundation, Red Artística Experimental Latinoamericana, where several artists come together to create multidisciplinary spaces for art and communication.
She is co-founder of LEAS, a similar space in Mexico. The World EXPO 2000 in Hanover, Germany, invited RAEL to present her innovative works between communication and art.
Since 2000 she has produced documentaries and fiction films for television in Ecuador, Mexico, USA and in Europe for television in Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Germany and France (ARTE, 3SAT).
She has received several international awards for her work in Acoustic Art and for her radio and video documentaries made with indigenous Ecuadorians about their cosmovisions: In 2008 it received: Award of the International Film Festival "Todas las Voces, Contra el Silencio", in Mexico and the Greenpeace Award for "Selva de Esperanza, Ecuador".
Since 2006 and until 2012 she is the coordinator of the audiovisual project "Aler-La Mirona" as international expert of the German cooperation giz/cim. In this role, together with the team she leads, she has produced documentaries, a feature film and a feature television series, as well as creating an alternative television network in Latin America. He also founded the audiovisual production company Pinimafilms.
From 2012 to the present
Iris Disse creates the "Durga's Tiger School for Tantra Yoga Arts & Shamanism" in Ecuador and Europe. She writes articles and wrote the script for the documentary film "Sol Wao, Luna Kichwa". She teaches at universities; she has made other radio documentaries/features for RBB, Radio Berlin Brandenburg: "En cocodrilo hacia la moderindad", a work with a Kichwa village that has a successful ecotourism project in the jungle; and the radio drama "Tengo que morir, Señora?-Viajes en mundos parallelos" (I have to die, Señora?-Voyages in parallel worlds).
In 2019 she performed a radio drama with the RBB: "Tourist in Mystical Worlds - Ayahuasca Journey to the Amazon Rainforest".
Currently she continues as Director of Durga ́s Tiger School for Tantra Yoga Arts & Shamanism, recognized as one of the best International Yoga schools.
She is also creating a community, Durga's Tiger Land, with a healing and alternative medicine centre, a mystic school, a holistic community.
Acoustic Works by Iris Disse
Awards, festivals and public performances
2009
Iris Disse and colleagues from the Centro Experimental Oído Salvaje participate in DAS KLEINE FIELD RECORDING FESTIVAL: The work will be performed simultaneously in Mexico DF and Berlin, under the direction of Rinus Van Albeek.
Iris Disse and colleagues from the Centro Experimental Oído Salvaje realize a training program for Acusutic Art and Experimental Radio at the University of Cuenca, Faculty of Plastic Arts.
Iris Disse/Centro Experimental Oído Salvaje participate in the representation of Ecuador at the 3rd Congreso Iberoamericano de Cultura with their works of acoustic art and radio plays.
El Reloj De Arena- El Amor En La Fragilidad Del Tiempo - Acoustic Art; RBB, Oido Salvaje, public performance in the Gallery of Modern Art
2008
Centro Experimental Oído Salvaje with Iris Disse enter into an alliance with ALER, la Asociación Latinoamericana de Educación Radiofónica. The productions of Iris Disse and her colleagues from Oido Salvaje are broadcast via satellite throughout Latin America.
Centro Experimental Oído Salvaje participates in the exhibition: La Otra Feria de Arte Contemporáneo with a version IN SITU of the project -Antenas Intervenciones- with an uninterrupted six-day program. Many works by Iris Disse are broadcast in this context.
2006
Irradear-Vertientes, radio performance in Mexico DF as part of the International Radio Biennial Mexico based on an idea by Lidia Camacho: 3 Mexican radio stations broadcast three different works and materials of acoustic art by Iris Disse. Iris Disse mixes a new composition live in the studio of a fourth channel from the elements that are simultaneously broadcast by the other stations and transmitted to the sound studio of the fourth station.
ZeitTraum - A radio performance on the Hungarian Uprising, RBB Berlin, experimental radio play in 5.1 surround. Live presentation at Literaturhaus Fasanenstrasse and in Budapest in the studios of Hungarian Radio.
Performances of Iris Disse's works in public spaces:
Hörkunstfestival Erlangen; Pfingstfestival Poesie und Rebellion, Berlin Belzig; Palacio del Arte en Budapest; Kino Babylon Berlin; Filmpodium Biel, Switzerland
2005
Der Tod tanzt mit; Arte Acustica, RBB and Hungarian Radio; Award: Certificate of Excellence from Hungarian Radio
Wild Listening - Oido Salvaje, retrospective of Arte Acústica works by Iris Disse at Metropol, Zürich. Organization: Visarte, Switzerland. In this context, Iris Disse presents a series of live performances with different musicians.
Inter Art Projekt Berlin Hörzeit-Spielraum: public performance of the composition: "Das Herz der Tänzer - El Corazón de los Bailarines".
Akustische Technik Messe Berlin: public performance of the Acustic Art obras de Iris Disse, organized by RBB Berlin
2004
Iris Disse initiates a series of radio art productions as a pioneer in 5.1 surround with the RBB.
Los Caídos De Los Manos De Dios - Guerra De Drogas En Colombia Y La Frontera Del Ecuador Radio Feature, Iris Disse/David Höner; Honorary Award of the Bienal Internacional de Radio, México DF.
El Ojo y el Oido - Retrospective of Feature and Acoustic Art Compositions by Iris Disse and RAEL at the "Goethe-Zentrum Asociación Humboldt", Quito
Irradiar - Voces De La Vida, radio performance as part of the International Radio Biennial in Mexico
2003
When the Tuntuí Calls, radio feature, SWR.
Public performance at the Humboldt Institute, Quito
Las Concheras En El Ecuador Radio Feature 1st Radio Prize of the United Nations; Radio La Luna 99.3, RAEL
2002
Iris Disse wins 1st prize for the radio feature "The Kids of the Jungle" at the IV Bienal Internacional de Radio, México (Radio Indígenista section).
Cuando Llama El Tuntui, El Ritual De La Chonta Con Los Shuar En Ecuador, Radio Feature; Honorary Prize of the Bienal Internacional de Radio de México
2001
Centro Experimental Oído Salvaje organizes the Week of Acoustic Art in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Iris Disse will give lectures on the subject and some of the works will be performed. Location: Galería Madeleine Hollaender.
PULSAR, Iris Disse with RAEL organize a space where international radio art works are presented.
2000
Iris Disse continues to be the dramaturge of the radio art program "Navegantes del Eter" on Radio La Luna, 99.3 FM: a weekly two-hour program with works of international radio art. The university radio station "106FM emisora de la Universidad San Francisco de Quito" takes over the program.
RAEL with Iris Disse forms an alliance with the Asociación Mundial de Radios Comunitarias, AMARAC: RAEL/Iris Disse productions are broadcast on the radio network of independent radios in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Había una Vez - Mañana, 1st prize "Radio Indígenista of the III Bienal Latinoamericana de Radio", México DF.
La Torera is performed in public space: At the Belmonte Bullring, Quito, at night; Teater Prometeo of the Casa de la Cultura BC Ecuatoriana, Quito.
Ayahuasca - Noche De Ritual, a trance journey into the Amazon jungle; acoustic art; world premiere at the EXPO 2000 Hanover
1999
Iris Disse and Mayra Estevez y Lola Garcia conceive and produce the acoustic design of the radio station Radio La Luna, 99.3.
Iris Disse founds the "School of Listening" together with the "Goethe-Zentrum Asociación Humboldt": over the course of a year, IN SITU presents works of acoustic art and discusses them with the composers and artists. This will be accompanied by a live performance.
RAEL with Iris Disse initiates acoustic interventions in public places, theaters and cinemas in Ecuador.
1998
Under the dramaturgy of Iris Disse, the weekly international radio art program "Navegantes de Éter" is broadcast on Radio La Luna. The first works broadcast are the winners of a radio art competition organized by Iris Disse on Radio La Luna
1997
Iris Disse takes part in the Radio Feature Internacional Convention 97, London, with her features "Secoya Trek" and "Cuando Llama el Tuntui".
1996
Together with the "Goethe-Zentrum Asociación Humboldt" and the RBB, Iris Disse organizes an international feature workshop with Helmut Kopetsky and a radio art workshop with the WDR.
Letzte Sprünge - Hörspiel, (Disse, Höner), Radio NDR Hamburg, Radio Play of the Month, Akademie der Künste, Berlin
1992
Tungusca-Gusca - a meteorite opera, Radio BR Munich, (Disse, Yoon, Namchilak) 1st BBC Prize of the Prix Futura