Professor Elizabeth Chodos’ “Impossible Music” Continues at Tufts University Art Galleries

Posted on March 31, 2025

First presented in 2023 at the former Miller ICA — and soon to be ICA Pittsburgh — the exhibition explores the radical potential of sound, on view at Tufts through April 20.


Envisioned under the leadership of Institute for Contemporary Art Pittsburgh Founder & Director Elizabeth Chodos, “Impossible Music” — a groundbreaking exploration of conceptual and experimental sound — has now traveled to Tufts University Art Galleries. Curated by Candice Hopkins and Raven Chacon, with Stavia Grimani, the exhibition was first presented September 30-December 10, 2023 at the former Miller Institute of Contemporary Art, bringinging together sculptures, scores, video, and live performances to challenge conventional ideas of music and its role in social change.

Featuring artists and composers such as Terry Adkins, Black Quantum Futurism, Christine Sun Kim, and Conlon Nancarrow, “Impossible Music” examines the power of sound as a tool for resistance and innovation. The exhibition continues its journey at Tufts in Medford, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston, where audiences are engaging with its thought-provoking works. As part of the programming, visitors can experience the compositions of Conlon Nancarrow on Friday, April 4 — music so complex it required mechanical pianos to be played.

“Impossible Music” is on view at Tufts University Art Galleries from January 16 to April 20, 2025.