TUNBRIDGE WELLS, UK (ACNI) – Jonathan Wright, the award-winning British artist whose 2012 projects included a prestigious residency in the Swiss Alps at Verbier 3-D Sculpture Park, seems drawn to high altitudes. His most recent adventure has been the installation of a remarkable contemporary artwork atop the sloped, tiled roof of The Forum, a live-music venue in Tunbridge Wells, England.
Replicating a radio tower, the three-dimensional artwork is a fascinating structure with the intrinsic capability of relaying sounds that emanate from the building’s interior. Through the use of microphones and transmitters, the functional art piece records and broadcasts – via the Internet – music, the thunderous beat of dancers’ feet and other sounds of party life from within the club. Club-goers can add their own personal stamp to the continuous broadcast by speaking through telephone boxes located inside the venue.
At night, the tower’s indigo-blue lights illuminate and flash to the tempo of the band’s performance. From its lofty perch, it is a distinctive beacon that draws curious visitors from afar.
While unquestionably proud of the finished product, Wright admits that the actual work was “a bit scary, as I don’t like heights. I was very pleased to get it over with!”
Those who may have missed any given day’s broadcast can still catch it a day later by visiting the nearby Tunbridge Wells Museum & Art Gallery, where a model of the project, complete with receiver, is currently ensconced.
Wright’s commission to create the sonic installation is part of a project known as Hoodwink, initiated by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Arts Development Unit. The project’s goal is to take contemporary art out of its comfort zone, e.g., galleries, and into more-pedestrian venues such as supermarkets, pubs and shopping centers.
Jonathan Wright’s radio tower art installation at The Forum will be in place and fully functional through and including UNFEST, a popular annual music festival that draws large crowds to scenic southeastern Kent, England. This year’s UNFEST runs from May 24-26, inclusive.
Monitor the broadcast online at webradio.radiomonitor.com/m3u/ProfoundRiches
Visit Jonathan Wright’s website at www.jonathanhwright.com
Learn more about the Hoodwink project at hoodwink.org.uk/where/fourm
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