Friday, May 16, 2014

time signature bombs

Beautiful Dreamer B-1 (with music-box mechanism)
2014

A-Series grenades play America the Beautiful,
B-Series grenades play Beautiful Dreamer.

A (possibly unknowing) disciple of Dr. Strabismus' newest work includes a series of grenades that "detonate" a melody from an enclosed music box when the pin is pulled and the spoon is released.

Each grenade is wound and set, and can only ever be "played" once—much like how a grenade can only explode once. "Music expands outwards from its source in compressive waves, just like detonated ordnance" he explains. "Both possess the power to affect people at great distance." But rather than releasing a surge of distortion or feedback (i.e. explosive music), his crafted bronze objects play "America The Beautiful" and "Beautiful Dreamer" by Katharine Lee Bates and Stephen Foster, respectively.

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