Microphones
Subsculpture 10
"Microphones" (Subsculpture 10) is an interactive installation featuring one or several 1939-vintage Shure microphones, placed on mic stands around the exhibition room at different heights. Each microphone has been modified so that inside its head is a tiny loudspeaker and a circuit board connected to a network of hidden control computers. When a public member speaks into a microphone, it records his or her voice and immediately plays back the voice of a previous participant, as an echo from the past.
The result is surprising because the sound comes directly from the microphone, which "speaks back", and because it is a memory of what already has been said. People initially only say something short like "hello" or "I am the decider" but as they realize that the resulting echo is actually recordings from previous participants they start giving longer speeches, they sing, or the play "exquisite corpse". Half the time the microphones play back the voice that was just recorded, while the other half they reproduce a recording at random from up to 600,000 that each microphone can store. This distribution allows the participant to understand the interaction but it also creates an experience that is out of his or her control. Ultimately, the piece's content is entirely generated by the participation of the public.
The result is surprising because the sound comes directly from the microphone, which "speaks back", and because it is a memory of what already has been said. People initially only say something short like "hello" or "I am the decider" but as they realize that the resulting echo is actually recordings from previous participants they start giving longer speeches, they sing, or the play "exquisite corpse". Half the time the microphones play back the voice that was just recorded, while the other half they reproduce a recording at random from up to 600,000 that each microphone can store. This distribution allows the participant to understand the interaction but it also creates an experience that is out of his or her control. Ultimately, the piece's content is entirely generated by the participation of the public.
General info
Spanish name:
Micrófonos
Year of creation:
2008
Installation
Technique:
Ten Modified vintage microphones, electronics, computers and loud speakers
Dimensions:
Variable, each microphone head measures 11x8x8 cm
Keywords:
Edition:
1 Edition, 1 AP
Single microphone
Technique:
Single modified vintage microphone, electronics, computer and loud speaker
Dimensions:
Microphone head is 11 x 8 x 8 cm
Keywords:
Edition:
6 Editions, 1 AP
Collectors:
private collectors
Exhibitions
- Obra Sonora, Artis - Naples, The Baker Museum, Naples, Florida, United States, 2024 - 2025.
- Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Transition States, Gund Gallery, Gambier, Ohio, United States, 2016 - 2017.
- Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Preabsence, Haus der Elektronischen Künste Basel, Basel, Switzerland, 2016.
- Art Brussels, Carroll / Fletcher Gallery, Galería Max Estrella, Brussels, Belgium, 2014.
- Armory Show, Baró Galeria, New York City, New York, United States, 2014.
- Time-Lapse, Site Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States, 2012.
- Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Recorders, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia, 2011 - 2012.
- Rewriting Worlds: The 4th Moscow Biennale, Moscow, Russia, 2011.
- Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Recorders, Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester, United Kingdom, 2010 - 2011.
- Intensif-Station, K21 Ständehaus, Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf, Germany, 2010 - 2011.
- Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Haunch of Venison, London, United Kingdom, 2008.
- Maquinas y Almas - Souls and Machines, Museo Nacional Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain, 2008.
- Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: Recorders, Edith Russ Haus für Medienkunst, Oldenburg, Germany, 2008.
- LOOP '08, Galerie Guy Bärtschi, Catalonia Ramblas Hotel, Barcelona, Spain, 2008.
- The Art of Participation: 1950 to now, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, California, United States, 2008.
Credits
- Programming: Gideon May
- Production Assistance: Pierre Fournier, Stephan Schulz, Olfa Driss
Bibliography
- "Rafael Lozano-Hemmer 'Preabsence' at House of Electronic Arts, Basel." Mousse Magazine, 23 June 2016. Milan, Italy, 2016. (english) (Magazines)
- "Das Haus für elektronische Künste in Münchenstein zeigt Werke von Rafael Lozano-Hemmer." Badische Zeitung, 10 June 2016. Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, 2016. (deutsch) (Newspapers)
- "Máquinas y Almas: arte digital y nuevos medios." Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, 2008. Madrid, Spain. (español) (Books)
- Arozqueta, Claudia. "Rafael Lozano-Hemmer." Artforum, 30 Jan. 2012. New York City, New York, United States, 2013. (english) (Magazines)
- Austen, Kat. "Watch and be watched." NewScientist, no.2785, 6 Nov. 2010. London, United Kingdom. (english) (Magazines)
- Federico, Cherie. "Digital Art and the Platforms for Participation." Aesthetica, Aug. 2010, 30-33. York, United Kingdom. (english) (Magazines)
- Frieling, Rudolf. "Rafael Lozano-Hemmer." The art of participation: 1950 to now, 2008. New York City, New York, United States. (english) (Books)
- Heim, Christoph. "Magie der Überwachung." Basler Zeitung, 4 July 2016. Basel, Switzerland, 2016. (Newspapers)
- McDonald, John. "How to push people's buttons." The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 Jan. 2012. Sydney, Australia. (english) (Newspapers)
- McDonough, Tom. "The Art of Paticipation: 1950 to Now." Artforum International, Apr. 2009. New York City, New York, United States. (english) (Magazines)
- Morrison, Ann Maria. "Transition States: The Gund Gallery's newest exhibit and the way it's literally pulled me in completely." Her Campus at Kenyon, 22 Oct. 2016. Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 2016. (english) (Websites)
- Önol, Isin. "Rafael Lozano-Hemmer ve Kolektif Bellek." Artful Living, 28 July 2016. Istanbul, Turkey, 2016. (türkçe) (Websites)
- Roffiel, Othiana. "Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. Cuando el retrato se convierte en paisaje." Artishock, 21 June 2016. Chile, 2016. (español) (Websites)
- Saux, Frances. "Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's show turns its gaze on the viewer." The Kenyon Collegian, 13 Oct. 2016. Gambier, Ohio, United States, 2016. (english) (Websites)
- Silverman, Linda R.. "Zurich/Basel/London June, 2016." Linda R. Silverman, 28 June 2016. New York City, New York, United States, 2016. (english) (Websites)
- Walder, Paul. "Rafael Lozano-Hemmer: fragmentos de un código fuente. Rafael Lozano Hemmer: fragments of a source code." Art.es, 2012. Spain. (english and español) (Magazines)
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