Metamorphic Dis-chords

Implementation

A few weeks before the event, the only person who knew how to assemble and complete the Chime Turbine fractured three vertebrae and was forced to back out of all projects. Since this was the anchor component we shifted from brag-worthy to doing the best with remaining assets and partners. 

The Trampoharp fabrication was complete but it was impossible to test its function in the construction area where wind seldom blew. So we hauled that whole thing out there and set it up hoping it would function as designed. It didn’t. It still looked impressive enough to receive some positive feedback, but there was one main problem: in spite of bringing five different types of strings for the resonance system, all but one type broke when tensioned enough to reach a high enough frequency to project into the echo chambers holding the pickup coils. The stainless strings that didn’t break held together only when tension was low, which resulted in them not projecting. The heavy string, similar to the thickness of barbed wire, was too heavy to oscillate. 

Luckily, JustJim’s whimsical kinetic plastic trash art saved the project. They turned out to be quite noisy and quirky and many people fell in love with his six pieces scattered around the perimeter. 

We were prepared to redo and upgrade the art installation in 2020 before the pandemic cancelled the event. the Chime Turbine was going to be fully functional and we were adding a bike xylophone project after so many people stopping by while we were setting up asking about our interactivity. Bike Xylophone was planned to be a route with four to eight notes bikes could ride over that would trigger actuator levers to hit gongs in sequence, sort of like how a bass drum operates. We’ll do this in 2021!