ronald van der meijs

soundart installation by ronald van der meijs uses weather conditions to generate sound

Odoshi Cloud Sequence (2020)by Ronald van der Meijs A symbiosis between nature and culture is created against the backdrop of the Japanese garden in the pond of the Amstelpark. This artwork explores new possibilities to generate sound and composition that are controlled by slow, unpredictable and unexpected elements of nature which are highly respected in Japanese culture. The diversity of natural sounds gives the work an almost meditative character, while the dependance on natural factors evoke a tension between longing and acceptance. This sound installation engages, as a natural sequencer, in a dialogue with the water, sun wind and clouds. It refers to Japanese garden culture by using the principle of the Japanese bamboo water tumbler. Eight installation units fill up slowly, then the pipes tumble and create a water splash. This movement strikes a vibraphone key whose pure tone slowly dies out. The typical vibraphone effect is driven by a system of wind turbines and resonance tubes. In this unpredictable composition of sound and movement, each unit has a slow and independent rhythm due to the fact that each water pump is connected to its own solar panel. The rhythms for each unit are individually influenced by the wind and clouds that block the sun and thus influence the total composition and intensity. The exhibition is until July 2021 project info: name: odoshi cloud sequenceartist: Ronald van der Meijs website artist: www.ronaldvandermeijs.nlsize: 12 x 2 x 1 m (lxwxh)materials: cast iron, aluminum, brass, rubber, solar panels, water pumpsin cooperation with: zone2sourcesupported by: mondriaan fonds, AFK amsterdam, stichting stokroos