Bergsonist 2016-Present — selwa abd ✿ bergsonist

Selwa Abd is a Moroccan-born,
New York-based interdisciplinary artist, composer, and design researcher working with time-based media.
Her prolific and thought-provoking output challenges critical questions surrounding the future of technology, her own fragmented personal identity shaped by the complexities of post-colonial urban environments, and the influence of virtual realities on contemporary society.

Inspired by Deleuze's interpretation of Henri Bergson's philosophical framework, she embraces intuition as a legitimate method for investigating these complex issues in all her creative endeavors.

In her performances, she crafts intuitive soundscapes by layering manipulated sonic fragments with acoustic sounds. Blurring the lines between reality and virtuality, she explores speculative futures within the tensions of the present. Her work draws influence from musique concrète, electro-acoustic music, sound art, and minimalism.

Selwa has collaborated with a wide range of cultural artists across the art and music worlds. Her compositions have been featured in contemporary art exhibitions, and she has remixed works by musical artists, including Depeche Mode.

She has curated musical and non-musical events for projects such as Bizaarbazaar, Pick Up the Flow, and 3afak, as well as for compilations she has released. Her curatorial work is an ongoing and integral part of her practice, often operating quietly in the background.

She is a recipient of the NYSCA x Roulette Artist Grant (2025), NYFA x Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment’s Women Fund Grant (2024), The Jerome Hill Artist Alternate Award (2023), the Issue Project Room Residency (2022) and Harvestworks Technology Immersion Program Grant & Fellowship (2022).

Selwa has shown works at MOMA Ps1, Roulette, Moogfest , National Sawdust, EKKO Festival, Sonic Arts Festival, Issue Project Room x The Center for Performance Research, Basilica Hudson, Fridman Gallery, The James Gallery, 47 Canal, Batalha Centro De Cinema and The Brooklyn Film Festival to name a few.

Selwa has earned recognition from outlets including The Washington Post, BOMB Magazine, GQ Middle East Magazine, Resident Advisor, Mixmag Mena, NPR and Artforum.
Her music has been released on labels such as Optimo Music and Tresor Records.

Selwa is the founder of the community resource Pick Up The Flow and the publishing imprint BIZAARBAZAAR.
She's been a NTS Radio DJ resident since 2018

awards and press — full list

contact

@bergsonist

@selwaabd

Studio Press Pic by Greg Zifcak, 2025

Bergsonist, 2016-Present

Selwa started her Bergsonist project in 2014—a creative persona through which she explores and expresses her thoughts and emotions across multiple mediums, including sound design, visual art, design, writing, and activism.

Bergsonist is recognized for her contributions to film scoring, sound commissions for contemporary artists, and pop/ experimental music production. She has notably remixed tracks for several artists, including Depeche Mode.

In her sound performances, she crafts intuitive soundscapes by layering manipulated sonic fragments with acoustic sounds. Blurring the lines between reality and virtuality, she explores speculative futures within the tensions of the present. Her work draws influence from musique concrète, electro-acoustic music, sound art, and minimalism.

She often combines her design and visual art background to enrich her live performances, reflecting her dedication to crafting immersive speculative worlds influenced by the context and politics of the times.

In her music productions, she delves into a variety of styles, ranging from dance genres like minimal, techno, and electronica to experimental music and musique concrete. Her vocals frequently feature prominently in her songs. She often sings in french and darija (moroccan dialect).

Selected Press

2025 | “As If Reality” A/V Performance | Batalha Centro De Cinema (Porto)

2025 | Studio Demo: “Making Music With Machines” | Demo Festival x New Inc✯
2025 | Panel at Libera NYC ✿
2024 | PUTF Interview Series ✯

2025 Ode To Life
2024 Exploitation Occident
2024 Avant
2022 Fasting
2021 Virtualite
2021 Toxic Materialism
2019 Chaos
2018 Heat
2018 Solyaris
2017 Mutation

Spotify | Soundcloud | NTS Radio Shows

Bandcamp

Portrait by Greg Zifcak, 2017

Original music for the film "Jmar", Samy Sidali, 2020

Official remix for Depeche Mode, 2023

Song commissioned by Tresor for their 30 year anniversary compilation, 2021

Soundtrack commissioned by Meriem Bennani for her show "Guided Tour Of A Spill", 2021

Soundtrack commissioned by Asif Mian for “Smokeless Fire”, 2022

A/V performance feat Miho Hatori, commissioned by Roulette, 2023

Music composition for ISSUE project room, video by Greg Zifcak, 2020

Stop The Killing by Bergsonist (composition & video), 2024

Attachement by Bergsonist (composition & video), 2024