<nettime> “Hissing in the grass” free concert of unintentional art at the Oosterdok Amsterdam

[Tjebbe van Tijen <tjebbe@imaginarymuseum.org>]

Free concert via the Limping Messenger:

http://limpingmessenger.wordpress.com/2010/08/12/hissing-in-the-grass-free-concert-of-unintentional-art-at-the-oosterdok-amsterdam/

“Hissing in the grass” free concert of unintentional art at the Oosterdok Amsterdam
August 12, 2010 by Tjebbe van Tijen | Edit
Trying to take my usual short-cut on bicycle coming from the ferry to the North of Amsterdam, I did get stuck in a corridor of fences and no go signs, a tiny stretch of land right next to the canal going underneath the railway tracks, with the next bridge I wanted to cross in sight but out of reach.

A hissing sound caught my ear and soon I discovered a mysterious device in between a patch of non-planned grass and flowers. And as I approached I was charmed by the unknown functionality of the device and its performance of a tasks that was impossible to to discern.

All these qualities made me decide to project upon this hissing tube box at least some understandable function – if only just for my own satisfaction: This is Art!

With the Muziekgebouw aan het IJ just around the corner (accessible through a tunnel under the railway in which an officially approved public sound-art installations with a ‘ding donging’ travelling sound can be experienced) this hissing device was proving the power of non-intentional art works in public space (of which there are many for the attentive art amateur). The nice rhythmic tinging instrument that can be heard is the attention signal of the open foot-passenger bridge being opened.

It looks as if the “Hissing in the grass” concert will be performed for a while, at least during the upcoming tourists event in Amsterdam SAIL 2010. So do not miss it.


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