The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) has outdone itself with the "Art of Noise" exhibition, running from May 4 to August 18, 2024. This isn't just an exhibit; it's a full-blown sensory extravaganza that marries music and design in ways that will make your ears and eyes do a happy dance.
Let's kick things off with Devon Turnbull's "HiFi Pursuit Listening Room Dream No. 2." Imagine stepping into a room where the sound quality is so pristine, it feels like the music is giving you a warm hug. Turnbull, the audio wizard behind OJAS, has crafted a listening experience that's part shrine, part sound utopia. This isn't your average listening room; it's a high-fidelity haven where music collectors, archivists, and musicians from the Bay Area and beyond will spin tracks that make your soul sing.
We also have the mad geniuses from Teenage Engineering, Swedish maestros that have turned the exhibition into a playground of plush seating and sonic sculptures. Their "choir" installation features a set of speakers that sing together like a choral group, each with its own vocal range. It's like a barbershop quartet, but way cooler and without the awkward matching outfits.
Yuri Suzuki's "Arborhythm" greets you at the entrance with a symphony of ambient city sounds. Picture this: horn-shaped speakers playing the calls of foghorns, the lull of ocean waves, and the playful melodies of sea lions. It's like San Francisco's greatest hits, remixed by Mother Nature herself.
"Art of Noise" isn't just about the sounds; it's a visual too. The exhibition features a floor-to-ceiling gallery of music graphics, including over 500 psychedelic concert posters and 120 record album covers. From Milton Glaser’s iconic Bob Dylan poster to trippy visuals of the 60s, this gallery is a nostalgia trip that will make you want to dig out your old vinyl collection.
The exhibition also showcases the evolution of music playback technology. From early phonographs to the Sony Walkman and Apple iPod, these devices highlight how far we've come in our quest for portable tunes. There are also experimental pieces like Ron Arad’s "Concrete Stereo" and Tom Sachs’s "Model Thirty-Six," which challenge traditional notions of form and function.
To celebrate the opening, SFMOMA hosted a Free Community Day on May 4, complete with a battle of the bands and free admission. It was a day of music, food, and fun, proving that art and community go hand in hand.
Art on Noise is at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art from May 4th to August 18th
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Devon Turnbull’s HiFi Listening Room Schedule