‘Three Tape Loops Destructing Over Three Hours’ and postmodernism
Hainbach is a German artist that I have been following for some time now, he uses vintage electronics to create experimental music. In the piece I would like to take a look at today, he uses reel to reel tape machines along with scalpels, knives and sandpaper to create the sound sculpture above. I think this pieces destructive, antiform nature alone could place it within postmodernism.
Although 3 hours might seem like a long time, this piece seeks to accelerate the fatal flaw of tape, its degradation. This decomposition would be happening to any tape being used normally over the span of years. However, choosing to display the process of such destruction highlights the temporality of sound, can sound truly last forever?
I like to imagine that if this piece was created for an exhibition space, people would be able to interact with the destruction of the tapes to give the piece a greater level of openness and audience participation. As artists we can use this work as a teacher and realise we don’t need to use every tool for its intended purpose. It is our intentions that will shape the work.