In Polyrhythmia, an orchestra of kinetic machines will play live rhythms of the city, as participants are invited to take a ‘Space Metronome’ on a journey. As they move, they hear the rhythm of the speed they are travelling. They slow to appreciate the calm ticking, and speed up to make the metronome race. Their speed of movement through the city becomes something to play with, hopping on and off buses or bicycles to hear the different rhythms of their journeys. As they travel, their movements are transmitted to the orchestra, to one of a set of kinetic machines that taps out their rhythm. In concert with other journeys, each walker becomes part of a polyrhythm of machines, tapping at different speeds and with different notes, a combined orchestra of movement.

Inspired by the work of French sociologist and philosopher Henri Lefebvre; and the manner in which reindeer and whales use sound to communicate, the project also builds on Jen’s previous collaborative mapping works Comob and Running Stitch.

In this video, Artist Jen Southern and Site Gallery director Laura Sillars discuss 'Polyrhythmia' and demonstrate the prototype tapping machines. Jen also answered audience questions, and outined her plans for the development of the work.

Jen Southern was commissioned by iShed and Sound & Music to develop the project, which explores sonic art, pervasive technologies and touch. Launched as part of Embedded, Sound and Music's new artist development programme, this commission is supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

Embedded is a Sound and Music initiative delivered in partnership with iShed, a part of Watershed, supported by Pervasive Media Studio and funded by the
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

Related Links:
Embedded Artists Residency

Posted on Wed 25 Jan 2012.

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