Bach to the Basics
Wood & Novelty
Published: 10/7/20
By: Andrew Neyer
ACT 1
If you drop a wooden ball in the forest...will it bounce Bach?
In the video, 森の木琴 (Forest Xylophone), a wooden ball is inclined to plunk out Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. Each wooden plank is precisely cut to ring out each note in the song as the ball works its way down the track. While the concept is simple, it relies on extreme dedication to recreate a piece of music from a simple kinetic machine.
ACT 2
Imagine a house made from engineered wooden 'bricks.' Brikawood is a system that utilizes a toolless assembly. The bricks are made by combining dove-tail boards with a matched grooved tenon. The construction is similar to concrete blockwork, except that the wooden bricks are flat-packed and built on site. The interior cavities can be filled with wood shavings or other insulation material.
ACT 3
Slats on slats on slats. The entire exterior cladding of Timber House by KÜHNLEIN Architektur creates an incredible visual pattern against the Bavarian landscape. The repetition of the vertical slats highlights the simplicity of the gabled structure. The surfaces are all blended as the walls and roof become one form.
SUMMARY
The sum of these wooden parts makes wonderful works of Art. Each has a simple idea put to the test through disciplined craft: a piece of music played by one ball, a house made of wooden bricks, a house skinned in wooden slats.
There is a common formula at play:
simple idea + one material + dedication
This is not to say the above formula is the only way to make interesting Art, but instead valid proof that dedication is the deciding factor. We've all seen terrible houses built with really expensive materials, buffet restaurants with too many choices, and Gigli.
Often, it's the simple ideas and materials taken to the extreme that leaves the greatest impression. When we hear a piece of concert music, we encounter the final edit or performance of that work. We get to enjoy the pianist's years of mastering the instrument and composition instantly, just like we can consume a delicious baked good in one bite. When you taste something delicious, you are tasting the success of a baker or chef's dedication to their craft. Sometimes we do not even understand what we are tasting, seeing, or hearing, but we are all tuned to know what is excellent. Whether or not you are a fan of Jackson Pollock, his work is captivating. When you are face to face with his gigantic canvases, completely saturated in hours and hours of splattered paint, you cannot help but be impressed by his dedication to painting something no one else ever had the courage or stamina to paint. Tenacity is apparent. It's Dr. Pizza recording a pep talk podcast every week for six years. It's Matt Farley recording over 20,000 songs about food and poop.
Aim at something, choose a medium, and dedicate yourself.
Thoughts
– What do you have the most stamina for?
– What resource do you have in excess?
– What is your favorite medium?
– Who Dey?
