SCULPTURES; ASSEMBLAGES
Marclay, Christian
U.S. / U.K. (1955 - )
Candle
1988
Fabricated and painted metal
30 x 20 in. (76.2 x 50.8 cm) overall; 31 x 36 x 26 in. (78.7 x 91.4 x 66 cm) installed size
Gift from the Collection of Steven Johnson and Walter Sudol
FA 96.107 A

"Recorded sound is dead sound." -- Christian Marclay

As an 'artist-musician', Marclay explores the relationship between sound and sight. In his musical performances, he employs records not as an end product of music, but a musical instrument, to bring the music to live [sic] again. He transforms records, magnetic tapes, speakers, record covers, and many other functional music-related materials into parts of his installation. To Marclay, these materials are tangible forms of music, sculptures of 'sound', and he wants to release new sounds and shapes, and to bring the music out form the static objects. Born in California, raised in Switzerland, the artist has been working as a performance as well as an installation artist since the late 1970s.