by: Michael French, UC Davis College of Letters & Science
Raven Chacon, a composer, performer, and installation artist born at Fort Defiance, Navajo Nation, will give a talk as part of The California Studio: Manetti Shrem Artist Residencies in the Maria Manetti Shrem Art Studio Program at UC Davis on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026 in the Anne E. Pitzer Center. The lecture begins at 4:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Doors open at 4 p.m.
A recording artist over the span of 24 years, Chacon has appeared on over 80 releases on national and international labels. He has exhibited, performed, or had works performed at LACMA, The Whitney Biennial, Borealis Festival, SITE Santa Fe, Swiss Institute Contemporary Art New York, and more. As an educator, Chacon is the senior composer mentor for the Native American Composer Apprentice Project (NACAP). In 2022, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Music for his composition Voiceless Mass, and in 2023 he was awarded the MacArthur Fellowship.
Chacon is the winter quarter spotlight artist in The California Studio: Manetti Shrem Artist Residencies. His artist talk is made possible with additional support from the Department of Music’s William E. Valente Endowment.
On Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, the Gorman Museum of Native American Art will host a student ensemble from the Department of Music performing Chacon’s American Ledger No. 1 in the Gorman courtyard. The piece is about 20 minutes and begins at 4 p.m. In case of inclement weather, the performance will be held in the Ann E. Pitzer Center.
Organized by The California Studio: Manetti Shrem Artist Residences in the Maria Manetti Shrem Art Studio Program.
