once in a lifetime
i hold tremendous admiration for david byrne. right now he has, what looks to be, an incredible sound installation in nyc called "playing the building" open through the summer. the piece basically turns a space and structure, in this case the battery maritime building, into a musical instrument. an old gutted pump organ has been rebuilt w/ cables and hoses coming out the back that lead to the near and far reaches of the vast structure. the organ keys act as triggers, sending energy through the cables to vibrate sections of the building, like the steel beams that span across the ceiling; or to strike parts with a tiny anvil, like the radiator that sits over the shoulder of the player. other keys push compressed air through thin hoses that are fed into the old pipes to make beautiful flute like sounds. it's an amazing idea that encourages interaction with the art, deepens the character and presence of the building itself, and just looks and sounds super cool. i think i need to plan a trip to new york.
here's a video that pitchfork made w/ david byrne showcasing the building and installation. and if you haven't read his online journal, he writes about life and art, the fascinating and the mundane, with equal amounts thoughtfulness and intellect.
posted by troy at 11:46 PM
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