Zen on the Old Iron Bridge

September 19th, 2008 at 11:47am Casey McConnell 510

Amazing I'm not hearing things! The other morning while on vacation in Aspen I crossed the old iron bridge near the Aspen Art museum and thought I heard music. And I did. It is simply amazing to stand in the middle of the old iron bridge and hear this lovely music enchanting your every being, as the river flows and the birds chirp.

I decided to stop in and see what this is all about at the Museum. Susan Philipsz is utilizing the 2 speakers on the bridge as part of her art museum display. Music has become both an aesthetic device and an important touchstone for many artists, and uses of emotive and psychological properties of sound also coincide with a current reinvestigation of the romantic notion of melancholy—historically identified as a state of malaise, disaffection, and inactivity. Unknown Pleasures features a number of international contemporary artists working in a variety of media, who explore the connections between music and melancholy, but instead focus on its generative potential.

Along with works in the AAM Upper Gallery and outdoor installations on the museum grounds, Unknown Pleasures will also feature a listening station devoted to musical recordings and albums produced by artists exploring the interrelationship of contemporary art and music.

Artists featured in the exhibition include Sanford Biggers, Anne Collier, Jesper Just, Tim Lee, Euan Macdonald, Susan Philipsz, Ugo Rondinone, Melanie Schiff, and Wilhelm Sasnal.

Unknown Pleasures is organized by the Aspen Art Museum and funded in part by the AAM Nation http://www.aspenartmuseum.org/

Next time you think about taking a vacation, I highly recommend just staying in Aspen and enjoying what we have right here in our back yard.

Entry Filed under: Music, Art, Aspen