At first glance this piece of business is merely a wall of boxes. Cleverly arranged boxes. Maybe the warehouse guy had a couple at lunch and got creative in the Currys stockroom? Of course, if you’ve had previous encounters with the work of Swiss artist Zimoun, you may have recognised his visual cardboard signature, and you’ll also know that the real magic doesn’t happen until you turn the volume up and add sound to the mix.
Stepping inside this construction is like entering a giant beehive (or so we imagine, having never actually entered a giant beehive – that would just be foolish). Constant movement pulls the gaze to and fro, the movement of 294 motors stimulating cork balls which tap on their hollow shells like… well the last time we featured a Zimoun creation, we likened the effect to soothing rain pattering on a windowpane – in this case, the emptiness gives an echo more like a monsoon on a bus shelter roof.
The video below was shot at bitforms gallery in NYC as part of Zimoun’s Volume exhibition. Your next chance to experience his work first-hand is at Rome’s Auditorium from 2nd – 28th February. If this gets you buzzing, check out this for more motorised musicality.
294 prepared dc-motors, cork balls, cardboard boxes 41x41x41cm
Installation view: bitfroms gallery NYC.
Solo exhibition: Zimoun «Volume» 2012
Dimensions: 297 x 589 x 503cm / 9.75 x19.33 x 16.5 ft.
