Institute 193 | Blog
In his show, “Cream Grid Reruns,” Robert Beatty repurposes outmoded technologies to create hybridized sculptures, drawings, and installations. An anagram for “recurring dreams,” “Cream Grid Reruns” blurs sensory boundaries, and presents a unique vision of the fusion of the organic and the artificial. Beatty’s work will be on display at Institute 193 until mid-September.
The Facet Eye (2006) by Daniel Segerberg
From Artist’s Statement:
A construction out of old windows.The inside of the windows is covered with roofing-felt with hundreds of small holes from which light comes through. Each hole is an upside down projection of the outside surrounding. The many small projections are caught by thin fine-meshed textile stretched on frames along the inside walls; a facet eyed camera obscura or like hundreds of “real-time-videos”. Outside, the darkened windows gives a clear reflection of the surrounding, but the different angels of each window distort the image.
Outside View
Inside View
Disco Machines by Peter Sinclair
Disco Machine sculptures by artist Peter Sinclair. Click through for a sound sample. Sinclair developed these in the early 1990s while he exhibited a similar project, a mobile party van named the Cosy Disco.
Jeremy Boyle at Hudson Franklin
I went to Chelsea last week to check out Jeremy Boyle’s new solo exhibition at Hudson Franklin. I first became intrigued by his work after reading about his self-playing band on VVORK. His current show proposes to explore “the theme of circulation through pattern and recognition.” Coincidentally, Boyle was present in the gallery when I arrived, and he was on hand to discuss the work with me.
(self-playing) guitar (2008)
The guitar component of Boyle’s self playing band, pictured above, was one of the works included. Ten MIDI compositions, looped automatically, control the pneumatics which play the guitar.
The project is similar to the sound machines I mentioned in the blog a few weeks ago. Both scenarios use MIDI, a format which is often considered cold, to generate an organic sound. I was particularly impressed by the raw mechanics of the guitar- the exposed wires and tubes. Easily the most active work in the show- I thought it was interesting that he made its anatomy such a central focus. It goes against the historical course of design for consumer-oriented electronics, which is so intent on shielding and obstructing the interworkings of machines from view.
head of guitar
base of guitar
In distinct contrast to (self-playing) guitar, the wiring for Boyle’s handmade speaker sculptures were hidden almost entirely from view.
White Noise (2008)
Brown Noise (2007)
Set up as piles in three corners of the gallery, the color of the speakers correspond to the type of sound amplified- white speakers for white noise and brown speakers for brown noise. For each set, only about half the speakers emit sound, so the volume is surprising low in relation to their actual size. I found the formal identification of sound with color novel- as “white noise” and “brown noise” are rarely explicitly visualized as such. While the exhibition also included video and drawing, I felt it was Boyle’s maneuvering- between the expected materiality of the sound-producing object and the sound itself- to be the most effective articulation of the concept of circulation in the show.
Gun Holmström- Omphalomin (2006)
For Omphalomin, artist Gun Holmstrom installed a permanent outdoor interactive sound sculpture for the Rekipellonpuisto park in eastern Helsinki. The work derives its shape from the ancient greek omphalos stones which were believed to allow contact with the gods.
The omphalos in Delphi
Placed atop a small hill with ascending paths, the metallic surface reflects the sky and the surroundings of the park. Optical sensors inside the piece emit sound in accordance to the movement of the player’s shadows. Omphalomin was commissioned by the Helsinki City Art Museum in 2006.
