Whirlylgig Sound Garden
2022-ongoing
In 2022 I was asked to create a temporary installation for a public event at the Exploratorium and seemed an ideal opportunity to try out an idea for a collection of wind-powered musical instruments, especially since some of the inspiration for this idea comes from Arthur Ganson's "Machine with Concrete" which also lives at the Exploratorium. The idea was simple: a collection of wind-powered chimes, each infrequently ringing a single note create music that is unpredictable but driven by the (observable) weather. When there is no wind, there is no music. When there is wind, there is music, but we don't know exactly what it will be. A collection of these whirlygigs could be distributed around a space, so that the music happens all around you, an immersive environment (like the one we live in). Maybe this is about listening to our environment, maybe this is about aletoric, non-hierarchical music, maybe about low carbon footprint art, or maybe just experiments in mehcanisms and kinetic suclpture. Whatever it is, it's been fun to work on and it's wonderful to experience in person.
Since 2022, I've shared a new interation of the whirlygig sound garden every summer at the Exploratorium. The first version used wooden gears, made by Cranky Crab Workshop. I was suprised how well then wooden gears worked, mounted on wooden axles turning in (greased) wooden frames. With this version I also learned that if the prop turned in the wrong direction the mechanisms would destroy themselves!!!
The next year (2023) I updated the design with a wind vane and bearing so the whirlygigs rotate to face the wind, ensuring ideal and safe operation. Still, the wooden gears and frame will only hold up to the elements for limited time.
In 2024 I made the leap to aluminium gears mounted in a HDPE frame. With any luck these will last much longer!
next steps: improve on the design, experiment with new tuning systems, find permanent homes for these and more sound gardens!!.
Last year I received a commission from the Center for Deep Listening at RPI to semi-permanently install a whirlygig sound garden. I'm working now for an install in the spring!!
Many, many thanks for the Exploratorium's Public Programs team for helping to achieve liftoff!!!!
