Beer, Oliver
Oliver Beer’s musical background is a central influence on his film, installation, sculpture and performance. Working with found objects and sounds, as well as with his own compositions, the artist explores how the world exists across senses and forms. He is interested in the hidden acoustic properties of bodies and architectural environments as well as the sounds and memories contained within personal possessions.
In his series Resonance Vessels, the artist suspends hollow objects from the ceiling that emit a sound when activated by the viewer, detected by motion sensors. Each vessel is fitted with microphones and speakers to amplify the pitch that naturally emanates from within. The notes we hear are determined by the object’s specific volume and geometry: they hum and sing as a wine glass may when a finger traces its rim. The group of vessels acquired are objects that were once owned by the artist and his family. Together they form a group portrait of the family, as well as of the changing material culture of Britain.
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- Material description: Vessels, microphones, speakers
- Credit line: © the artist. Image courtesy of the artist and Thaddaeus Ropac, London
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- Accession number: ACC6/2020