Nick Lesley (b. 1979) is a video artist and musician. Much of his work focuses on physical relationships to sound and art experience. Nick has created interactive video and audio structures for performance as well as multimedia installations using Max/MSP/Jitter. He regularly performs improvised music, and has composed music for dance and film. His video works for single and multi-channel video have been exhibited around the U.S.

Nick completed his MFA in Performance and Interactive Media Arts from Brooklyn College in 2008. He holds a BA from the University of California, San Diego (2001) in Film and Video, Media Arts with a minor in Music Technology. Nick currently works at Electronic Arts Intermix in New York.

Through his video and sound works, Nick is exploring how the idea of play changes as we get older. He regards spectator sports as improvisational interaction, in light of (for example) John Cage's systems for musical improvisation. He is most interested in activities and events that, while they may end, do not provide closure, as they reframe our interactions with the world around us. Recent works focus on subtly unsettling interactive sound- and video- installations intended to intimidate the viewers with their own presence. For video installations and performances, Nick uses Max/MSP/Jitter to create engulfing environments that are highly responsive to the viewers' and performers' actions.

As a musician, Nick primarily plays improvised drums and interactive electronics (analog or laptop using Max/MSP). His drumming style is in the realm of "free-improvisation" but infused with the hardcore punk he grew up with in San Diego in the early 90's. On any instrument, he focuses on allowing space for collaboration, and creating energy and drama in an improvised performance.

Nick is the founder of the improvised noise-rock group Necking, which has been performing since 2004. He is co-founder of Gunung Sari, a noise group inspired by traditional folk musics (particularly Indonesian gamelan music) which employs home-made electronics and percussion. Recently, he has also been performing in the improv-rock group Alien Whale with Colin Langenus (of USA is a Monster) and Matt Mottel (of Talibam). Nick also plays drums in Prsms, a punk band inspired by the west coast hardcore of the band members' youth.