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Billy Friebele
Art & Research
Nero Plays a Fiddle
In the sculpture garden of the Kreeger Museum in Washington, DC I installed Nero Plays a Fiddle, based on Samuel Moreland’s speaking trumpet. The solar-powered kinetic sculpture produces two sonic loops. The first loop is triggered by a motion sensor and vibrates an upright bass string inside a ventilation duct, creating an ominous drone. The second loop is a two-note sequence played by a windshield wiper motor wired directly to a solar panel. When the sun shines, two strings are plucked repeatedly. The tempo varies with the intensity of sunlight.
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