Electro-acoustic Chair

The Electro-acoustic Chair is one of the earliest sound art installations by Wolfram DER Spyra. On this video, you see the object at the exhibition "HungerKunstHunger" in Kassel (K18) in 1991. It was one of three works which Spyra presented for his exam in Fine Arts.

And this is how it works: The microphone picks up sounds from the surrounding area. These are converted into electric current and amplified extensively, so that the voltage can reach a level of several hundred Volts! In case someone would sit on the chair, the electric potential would discharge between the seat plate and the rear plate.

It is an inverted music/sound instrument: Not producing any sounds, it reacts to these and transforms them into something dangerous!

p.s. This is an art installation, NOT a torture mechanism!!! When being shown in exhibitions, the voltage is lowered to a level which is not harmful for the human body!

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Electro
• acoustic
• Chair
• Spyra
• Sonic
• Art
• Sound
• Electricity
• Achtung
• Elektrischer
• Strom
• Microphone
• Voltage
• Elektroakustischer
• Stuhl
• Kassel
• K18
• HungerKunstHunger
• Klangkunst
• Hochspannung

[ihfhbifdb]

"This is an art installation, NOT a torture mechanism!!!"

Really? That capitalized, 'NOT' of Verneinung would certainly tend to suggest otherwise.(!!!)

A good example of the third moment of Der Trieb - as in, to torture oneself.

It resonates somewhat with a certain bathroom socket that was left dangerously exposed. (!!!).