SVRN SOUNDS
SECRET OF MANNA
.001
SECRET OF MANNA
Q+A
Kicking off SVRN SOUNDS is SECRET OF MANNA, a visionary artist, DJ, and educator from Hyde Park, Chicago. As a professor at the University of Chicago, he teaches 3D sculpting and web design while also leading his namesake jewelry brand. Filtering through a Duchampian lens, he alchemizes everyday objects into immortal forms, blurring the line between the banal and the sublime. His influence stretches beyond the studio, mentoring youth across the city and crafting custom 3D-sculpted grills for artists like Bad Bunny, Jimin, and Playboi Carti. His sets echo the same ethos: unexpected, layered, and deeply intentional.
Q+A
[01]
When were you first drawn to the concept of 'Sound', and Why?
Being a kid in the 80s meant Saturdays cartoons in the morning and horror movies at night. That strange combo probably explains a lot about my taste and the way I process sound and storytelling today.
[02]
How would you define the essence of sound to someone who experiences the world without it?
Sound has this way of shaping how we feel. Sometimes just a certain tone or texture can pull you right back to a whole season—like the buzz of summer cicadas, the crunch of leaves, or the stillness of a quiet winter day.
[03]
Describe a moment when sound shifted your perception or made you feel something unexpected.
Birding has opened up a new way of listening for me. Learning to tell apart mourning doves, red-winged blackbirds, and house finches by their calls has made me appreciate the subtle details in sound even more.
[04]
Thinking of the relationship between space and sound, how do you blend the two?
[In SVRN] I wanted to play refreshing and unexpected sounds —something that reflects my personal style, but still leaves space to experiment and have fun with it.
[05]
If you could distill your sound into one non-musical metaphor — like a dish, a color, or a landscape — what would it be?
"Evolving Map"
SVRN SOUNDS
SECRET OF MANNA
.001
SECRET OF MANNA
Q+A
Kicking off SVRN SOUNDS is SECRET OF MANNA, a visionary artist, DJ, and educator from Hyde Park, Chicago. As a professor at the University of Chicago, he teaches 3D sculpting and web design while also leading his namesake jewelry brand. Filtering through a Duchampian lens, he alchemizes everyday objects into immortal forms, blurring the line between the banal and the sublime. His influence stretches beyond the studio, mentoring youth across the city and crafting custom 3D-sculpted grills for artists like Bad Bunny, Jimin, and Playboi Carti. His sets echo the same ethos: unexpected, layered, and deeply intentional.
Q+A
[01]
When were you first drawn to the concept of 'Sound', and Why?
Being a kid in the 80s meant Saturdays cartoons in the morning and horror movies at night. That strange combo probably explains a lot about my taste and the way I process sound and storytelling today.
[02]
How would you define the essence of sound to someone who experiences the world without it?
Sound has this way of shaping how we feel. Sometimes just a certain tone or texture can pull you right back to a whole season—like the buzz of summer cicadas, the crunch of leaves, or the stillness of a quiet winter day.
[03]
Describe a moment when sound shifted your perception or made you feel something unexpected.
Birding has opened up a new way of listening for me. Learning to tell apart mourning doves, red-winged blackbirds, and house finches by their calls has made me appreciate the subtle details in sound even more.
[04]
Thinking of the relationship between space and sound, how do you blend the two?
[In SVRN] I wanted to play refreshing and unexpected sounds —something that reflects my personal style, but still leaves space to experiment and have fun with it.
[05]
If you could distill your sound into one non-musical metaphor — like a dish, a color, or a landscape — what would it be?
"Evolving Map"