Through an interdisciplinary practice that incorporates sound, sculpture, scent, and site-specific collective performance, Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs (b.1981) creates new myths and their paraphernalia - hymns, relics, costumes, instruments, rites and rituals - for an alternate past, and still-possible future. Riggs was born in Oakland and currently lives the High Desert of Southern California. Her work explores themes of magic and myth, connection and isolation, conflicts between structures of power and modes of care, and overwhelm in the Anthropocene.
Riggs is known for creating experimental opera and vocal performances that collapse the boundaries between audience and performers including Form Forget This (High Desert Test Sites, Joshua Tree); compost opera All Again/Todo de Nuevo (CURRENT LA Public Works Biennial, w/ choreographer Annie Gimas); A Journey That Wasn’t: Empire Folds (The Broad Museum); Sky Score (The Getty Center); The Portal: Mothers Choir (Hammer Museum, w/ Jagangormarsh); and GORGON (REDCAT Theater). She is the creator of the site-responsive performance ensemble, Song of Eurydice; and the founder of Community Chorus, a drop-in, on-call, protest chorus, often featuring conductor Tany Ling. Riggs has also presented work at the SFMOMA, deYoung Museum, Anchorage Museum, Portland Art Museum, Printed Matter, Bangkok University, and Berkeley Art Museum. She has been featured in NYT Magazine, LA Times, Artforum.com, Frieze.com, X-TRA, and Rookie Magazine.