2/16/2004: Guitar sculpture

SteveDallas passes along this "sculpture" - 35 feet high, consisting of 600 guitars. And a few other instruments in there as well, it looks like. It's from an exhibit at the Experience Music Project in Seattle.

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Hard hats required..

Watch for falling Rock.

Can you imagine trying to keep it in tune?

I seriously hope that no primo instruments were interred in that monstrosity...

Maybe it looks better from the bottom, Els.
That museum has online interactives where you can learn just how famous guitar rifts are played and how to sing harmony.
CAUTION going to their site will cause you to piss away many days of your life.
And it's all from Microsoft profits.

Hm. I wonder if I should go check that out someday soon.

There's a monorail that goes almost the entire distance between the EMP and where I work.

Looks like there's still room for more at the top. Is it a work in progress, or is that a receeding guitar line?

anyone think this is a bit wasteful?

I know that we need to spend $ on art. But man oh man what a blatant slap in the face to the 'music for kids' programs at struggling underpriviledged schools that could have benefited from a guitar.

Perhaps we'll see a conglomeration of 10,000 useful text books next.

Perhaps I'm stretching a bit here but did anyone else think the same thing?

Maybe there was some due-diligence here and they all had some sort of major defect, like a hole in the back or something.

-mike

Re: anyone think this is a bit wasteful?

Consumption for the purpose of personal fulfillment is not a vice. It is built into us, and thank goodness, because it's what keeps the human race progressing ahead.

Re: Re: anyone think this is a bit wasteful?

I know a little about the architecture of EMP- Frank Gehry designed it and the inspiration was from Seattle's Jimi Hendrix- a smashed fender guitar. (another example of artistic waste perhaps- but memorable performance) Ive never seen the place but understand that some (if not all) of the colors on the crazy crushed- looking exterior correspond to selected fender finishes. And there are glass panels that are meant to reference the neck and frets. The concert space is s'posta be good. Anyone been to a show there?

They're currently showing a Springsteen exhibition that I helped a tiny bit with...I'll give that a tout!

I feel a little better after looking at EMP's site. This sculpture is a bit more than that...it actually plays music on many of the instruments embedded in it! It is all midi controlled, right down to mechanical string pluckers for the guitars...

It's also apparent that it isn't just guitars. There appear to be numerous drums and at least one synth/keyboard in the mix.

However, what you don't see is the guy on the back side of this, that has this all strapped to his back, with a monkey on his head clanging symbols.

Quzah.

Re: anyone think this is a bit wasteful?

That doesn't mean that they couldn't have been hurt before the creation of the art.

True, but they are being played in this display and my limited contact with this museum convices me they have great respect for the intruments they have amassed.

My first student clarinet is now doing duty as the base of a lamp on my nightstand. (I actually had to take it apart and play the clarinet a few years back, when my good horn was in the shop and I had a rehearsal. It was very interesting to go back and play the student instrument after almost 15 years playing a professional-caliber one.)

I've never been to the EMP. I did pledge my $90.3 dollars to KEXP, 90.3. It's listener supported [mostly], baby! They have a streaming audio link as well, you should all check it out.

[edit]

Paul Allen bought KCMU, the University of WA alternative radio station, and ensconsed them in the EMP as KEXP.

my first thought after looking at this was "damn! what a waste of guitars"

wow!

Wow! I've hung 5 of my guitars on the wall for easy access as well as asthetics with a musical theme to my living room, but this is insane. Sure, maybe it plays some music, but for the most part, every one of those guitars is useless if you can't pull one down and experience the joy of playing it, or watch someone master its strings, or sing along in the creation of musical praise.

I'm not sure how this towering mass helps contribute to world peace or the furthering of humanity, but I guess we all have the freedom to waste our money if we want. So if some guy wants to tower with a bunch of guitars and call it art, then more power to him, but I'm sure I can think of many more aspiring musicians, and under priveleged children who could benefit more by receiveing one of those instruments, rather than seeing it imprisoned on that cage.

I have played this (these) instrument(s).

Is it bad that I can identify the maker and model of half those guitars even from that shot?

Hey V, good to see ya.