“Untitled II” by Marianthi Papalexandri-Alexandri, Pe Lang

Title:

Untitled II

Artist(s) and People Involved:

Creation Year:

2010

Medium:

Three motors, three acrylic glass robs, nylon line, elastic silicone membrane, seventeen acrylic cylindrical tubes

Artist Statement:

Untitled II builds on modified membraphones developed by Marianthi Paplexandri-Alexandri as main instruments utilizing Pe Lang’s motor-activated devices. The sound of Untitled II can be influenced by manipulating the tension of the nylon lines, changing the speed of the motor, turning on and off the motors or by depressing the membrane with the fingers while it is vibrating to vary the pitch. The work creates and explores a soundscape of machine-produced long sustained sounds and textures with organic character and without any post processing. It is a work adaptable to any space that can be presented both as a sounding sculpture and as an instrument in the context of a solo live performance, thereby questioning the role of the performer and the difference between performing and operating ( “music as art” and “music as music”).