Maxwell Franko and Philip Souza | WaterWayward
Image:
Left: Maxwell Franko
Right: Philip Souza
Maxwell Franko and Philip Souza / WaterWayward
Exhibition Dates: June 23 - July 25, 2025
Gallery Hours: Work activated from sunset to sunrise each day
ICOSA Collective is proud to present Waterwayward by Maxwell Franko and Philip Souza.
Fish have voices, real audible voices, ones that humans ignore — or just can’t hear. On the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, the ever-increasing sound of our own innovation, while necessary, obscures the voices of marine life. “Waterwayward” is a call for co-existence, a project that showcases realistic sounds of undersea life through a variety of artforms, inviting us to listen more closely, to connect more deeply, and to imagine a future where both humans and marine life can thrive.
This project is the result of a collaboration between composer and sound artist Maxwell Franko and marine biologist Philip Souza. Philip’s research revolves around the recording of aquatic life using hydrophones. He listens intently to these sounds to learn about the health and functioning of this underwater community and its response to environmental stressors. Beginning as a long-form soundscape, the project has evolved to encompass music, visual art pieces, and an album inspired by Souza’s recordings.
What you are hearing is various recordings of Gulf Toadfish, Dolphins, Snapping Shrimp,Black Drum, and they're blended into a long-form soundscape. As the soundscape progresses, human-made sounds become more prevalent, sounding both in harmony and in discord with the fish soundscape.
“Waterwayward” is a community-based project. It bridges science and art for our environment through deep listening, visual art, and music. We encourage you to listen closely, and see where the journey leads you.
Maxwell Franko is a composer and sound designer living in Austin, Texas. Through his work with performance ensembles, independent film, live theater, and multimedia performance, Max blends instrument techniques with electronics, creating works influenced by pop culture, recorded material, and storytelling. His instrumental work explores narratives and everyday sounds, playing with concepts where electronics are in constant conversation with instruments. It’s in this conversation that the “plot” or purpose of a piece is born.
Similarly, in his collaborative and multimedia work, he aims to find the line sounds inherent in a story that can influence ideas and themes for music. The result is music that sits at the cross-section of emotional and pragmatic. Max has worked with performing ensembles like Axiom Brass of Chicago, IL, the Unheard-of Ensemble of New York, NY, Line Upon Line of Austin, Texas, cellist Eduard Teregulov, and percussionist Samuel Wheeler. He has also participated in events like Sonorities Music Festival Belfast, 2024 DME Cultura & Sustentabilidade at the Lisboa Incomum, the Atlantic Music Festival, the Collaborative Composition Initiative, New Music on the Bayou, NYU Summer Screen Scoring Workshop, and Electric LaTex, electronic music from Louisiana and Texas composers.
Philip Souza is a Ph.D. student at the University of Texas at Austin, where he studies underwater soundscapes in the Mission-Aransas Estuary, TX. Many aquatic animals in this system, including dolphins, fishes, and shrimp, produce unique sounds to communicate, navigate, forage, and find mates. Philip listens intently to these sounds to learn about the health and functioning of this underwater community and its response to environmental stressors.
About Soundscapes
The Soundscape Project consists of sound works played via an outdoor stereo system in the breezeway at the Canopy Complex (916 Springdale Road), from sundown to sunset each day. Each month ICOSA will feature a new sound artist, culled from local, national, and international artist submissions. Each monthly featured artist’s work will be played on a loop and will be accessible to the public free of charge. The Soundscape Project provides sound artists a unique and specific platform for their work, dedicated to the act of listening. For more information and to apply please follow this LINK
Maxwell Franko and Philip Souza / WaterWayward
Exhibition Dates: June 23 - July 25, 2025
Gallery Hours: Work activated from sunset to sunrise each day
ICOSA Gallery
916 Springdale Rd, Bldg 2, #102
Austin, TX 78702
www.icosacollective.com