Interview with David Byrne

An interview with David Byrne about Playing the Building, a 9,000-square-foot, interactive, site-specific installation produced by Creative Time.

The artist transforms the interior of the landmark Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan into a massive sound sculpture that all visitors are invited to sit and play. The project consists of a retrofitted antique organ, placed in the center of the building's cavernous second-floor gallery, that controls a series of devices attached to its structural features—metal beams, plumbing, electrical conduits, and heating and water pipes. These machines vibrate, strike, and blow across the buildings elements, triggering unique harmonics and producing finely tuned sounds.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• David Byrne
• Playing the Building
• Creative Time
• Anne Pasternak
• music
• diy
• steampunk

[howaya]

some day i'm going to make an instrument out of david byrne and use it to start a talking heads tribute band.

[foketesz]

true, amazing work of art. Interactive and intuitive. In a way, it's surprising nobody seems to have done anything alike before, although we've seen millions of installations. Such a simple and beautiful idea. It took a great soul/mind to uncover it

[GangstaGTV]

its funny that they mentioned being a small child and going to this, because I went to go see this installation when I was about six

[burningburney94]

its like 60 Minutes on Acid. this interview is.

[footballmadgamer]

would you belive if i sed, he was born in scotland

[RuralSpaceman1]

People don't like what they don't understand. DB is an artist and musical genious. If you understand where he's coming from, perhaps you share thoughts of musical genious too. If you don't, well, perhaps you share thoughts of cold porridge. Both are harmless. Relax.

[foxbyarmbar]

David Byrne has aspergers you fucking idiot

[iaxford]

how much acid did this guy munch on?

[Manthing32]

Far out.

[Araclain]

He is probubly the best man to ever live...

[TheWitchOvAgnesi]

I bet that thing is busted by now.

[marktywharton]

@aethefox7 he looks normal to me :-)