making music...kinda

at this very moment, right now, i am typing on a keyboard in a gallery on 21st St. my typing, and all typing by gallery staff, is being translated into music via a player piano as part of the current exhibition for Céleste Boursier-Mougenot at Paula Cooper Gallery. i work here as an archivist and this project is especially interesting to me- because i'm in a way making music.

This is from the press release:
"This work hinges on a computer program designed by the artist that translates fragments of language typed on the gallery’s office computers into a musical score played in real-time by an acoustic piano placed in the gallery. The program isolates a set of notes, dynamics and other musical terms from the language typed on the gallery’s computers to build its ongoing score. Acting as conductor, composer, and instrumentalist all at once, the piece renders an in situ musical phenomenon that registers the labor of the gallery and plays it in song."

via xippas gallery

Céleste's work often involves music, or making music/ sound, in unique ways. In one piece, From Here to Ear, he placed electric guitars horizontally in a gallery space with little birds free to fly about. When they'd land on the guitars it would create sound.so if your in NY you should come see the show and maybe if you ask nicely they'll let you type and make the piano go blink, pling, plonk... it acutally sounds quite nice....