Skip to main content
Almine Rech

'Uncombed, Unforeseen, Unconstrained' Collateral Event of the 59th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia

Apr 23 — Nov 27, 2022 | Conservatorio di Musica Benedetto Marcello

In this installation conceived for the chapel of the Palazzo of the Conservatory of Music in Venice for the Collateral Event Uncombed, Unforeseen, Unconstrained, organized by Parasol Unit at the Biennale Arte 2022, Oliver Beer builds on his exhibition with the Metropolitan Museum of Art to reveal the innate musicality of the material world. He has brought together a playful collection of vessels and hollow objects characterised by their animistic qualities. Arranged on plinths, each object represents or takes the form of an animal or human character. Beer has placed a tiny microphone within each of the vessels. The microphones are individually activated by the keys on a midi keyboard (the keyboard itself makes no sound). When a key is pressed the ambient sound inside the corresponding vessel is amplified and creates acoustic feedback at the exact note of the vessel. In this way we can hear the resonance of the vessels live, in real-time, and they can be played like an organ. The installation will be activated at the opening by Oliver Beer himself and the musicians of the Conservatorio for a 24h performance.

Press release

  • read or download in English

Videos

  • Oliver Beer – Little Gods (Chamber Organ)
More on Oliver Beer