Born in Wilhelmshaven, Germany in 1939, Julius studied art in Bremen and later in Berlin where he now lives. He became interested in the junction between music and visual art around 1975 and has been including electronics -- both as tool and inspiration -- in his work since the early 1980s. The artist cites several influences on the manner of his approach most notably the avant-garde composer John Cage who, in the early 1950s, challenged the traditions of classical music by embracing found sounds, chance effects, and the quality of silence in his compositions.Cage provided a base for experimental music that by the end of the 1970s produced the New Music generation which included, among others, Philip Glass, Steve Reich, and La Monte Young. "In my music," says Julius, "the instruments are very simple and small. Visually small -- and the sound is small too. I am not really intent on expressing ideas in the form of music, but rather about receiving something which is already there." Rolf Julius, from sound installation, Rolf Julius -- Black (Red), 2000, photography: Rolf Julius The artist has participated in numerous international exhibitions, and his work has been featured at several American venues including InSite'94, San Diego/Tijuana, the Goethe House, New York (1996), and the Mattress Factory, Pittsburgh (1998). Julius has self-produced four CDs of recordings of past music installations which can be purchased over the Internet at Forced Exposure. Accessed 26.02.2008 from http://www.umass.edu/fac/calendar/universitygallery/events/RolfJulius.html