experimental composition III – 2006 - war - site specific installation in enclosed room

Composition III “War” utilizes a real gun (M 60) instead of a BB gun and shoots a single shot into sandbags (in an enclosed exhibition room), every time the word “war” appears in a streamed newscast.

The artwork is the installation of the piece at a public place (e.g.: Gallery, art exhibition space). Composition III similar to Composition II comments on the direct removal of the spectator, but has mass media components as its underlying concept. The installation lasts as long as there is ammunition in the chamber.

Mass media bombards us with war news every day, yet we have become so far removed from the reality of wars we no longer give it any importance. As not many people have been exposed to guns being shot in their vicinity, hopefully the reality of Composition III will help us to overcome that.

Artist Statement

Experimental Compositions I-IV are a compilation of musical experiments.
The artwork in itself is either the score, the recording of the composition or the installation in itself, but never the spectacle surrounding it.

The project questions our removal from armed conflicts (wars) and how we as a society react to them. Mostly removed from any pain and suffering, the remote control and the constant irrigation of news media has made us dull to the fact of real anguish and hardship. No longer do we even deal with the realities of the daily agony of entire peoples and we regard genocide as nothing else but a word.

The compositions hopefully give us the chance to be reminded that these wars are just as real as our daily grind, maybe not our momentary priority, but sure worthy enough to at least take active interest.

Finished Project consists of:

Composition III

Performance Instructions, M60 7.62 mm light machine gun, belt fed. semi automatic, Computer, USB electronic device, Servo Motor Control, Sand bags, performed in sealed closed room.