Installation self-reflection.

The concept for my installation came about when I thought about wanting to have an installation that was interactive. I wanted to create an installation that involved the passersby. At the same time I wanted to make sure it was something that was not to demanding. The idea of setting up glass jars and sticks to make a melody seemed perfect because people walking by would not even have to stop. One concern was that the glass would get knocked over and break which was a safety issue. I decided that I should build some kind of frame to contain the jars. I ended up making a very simple frame that consisted of two plastic tubes, one on each side, running along the glass with piece of wood to keep it straight, at the proper height and in place. I found the tubes lying around and Darcy at the woodworking shop had scrap wood to spare along with the tool necessary to create the frame.

I collected glass jars from residence of different sizes, cleaned them out and removed the labels and glue. The final step was to create the melody. After attempting to do Yankee Doodle, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star proved easier. I wanted to use a melody that had a simple rhythm because it would be too difficult to create timing because even if I spaced the jars appropriately, each person would play it differently and might not be able to interpret the song. I spent about two hours pouring water in and out of the jars to get the proper notes and melody. One challenge that I did not expect was the problems that came with having different sized and shaped glass jars. Initially I figured that I could control the note with water but it made it difficult to match the notes because the glass would resonate in different ways (kind of like a different instrument). Some jars that had bizarre shapes would appear to resonate with two or three different notes making it confusing. If I were to do it again I would have started collecting glass earlier so that I may collect the same jars.

When I was unable to get table I became stressed. I was trying to figure out how I could build some sort of table easily and elevate it high enough. As I was walking through the school I noticed an elevated ledge in the hallway connecting the education building to riddel center. This ended up being even better than tables because my piece fit nicely into the space. I was very satisfied to see my piece come together and have so many people participate.

My installation was constructed out of concern that people might not participate. You could participate without much effort or even stopping. To my surprise people actually ended up stopping to involve themselves and more than a few actually took it to another level when they started drumming on the jars which was not the intention but actually even more interesting to me. I was surprised and happy to see so many people participate enthusiastically. Almost every time I walked by the installation, people would be participating. It was a nice feeling to approach the installation and be able to hear the sound of the glass resonate even before I was near it or could see it.