Play Kortrijk: The Sound of Ceramics
June 23 – November 11, 2018
Kortrijk, Belgium
The Sound of Ceramics is a musical and sculptural collaboration with composer Wang Lu.
The installation features 200 hanging ceramic geometric shapes and clay bead mallets.
Each ceramic shape was handmade. There are seven different shapes and each shape corresponds to a musical note. A series of notation spray drawings accompany the installation. The shapes were used by Lu to compose a musical piece. This composition was recorded and completes the installation.
In making the installation, Apfelbaum and Lu were influenced by Harry Partch’s instruments, the early American shape-note tradition and an ancient Chinese tradition of hanging bronze and stone bells. Shape notes are a music notation system designed to facilitate congregational and community singing and were introduced in the United States at the beginning of the 19th century. Here, the notes represent the idea of music and can be arranged in many different compositions and arrangements.