SONIC BED_MARFA PERFORMS IN NEW YORK
is a localized version of Sonic Bed_London, and was commissioned by Ballroom Marfa for The Marfa Sessions, curated by Regine Basha, Rebecca Gates and Lucy Raven. It opened on September 27th 2008 at Ballroom Marfa, South West Texas and runs until February 1st 2009.
Built on site after a two stage research process,Sonic Bed_Marfa is built in locally weathered plywood, marked and coloured over years by the sun and wind as it stood sealing empty windows in vacant houses in the town. Gathered with generous local support, the pieces were used to clad a solid frame built using the original London Bed’s design and then capped, not in a local hardwood as with all other Beds so far, but with clear sanded one inch Plexiglas.
This is the first Bed to explore the use of materials other than new wood and was inspired by the July 2008 recce trip Kaffe made to this South West Texan town, realised through continued online collaborations with the brilliant Ballroom in between.
Unable to find suitable fabric locally, London made felt of exactly the right colour was found to cover its mattress and seven cushions.
Its music, “ Yellow ” was made by Kaffe transforming and synthesizing tones of light which she played, processed and drew around the Bed whilst lying in it. As with the other Beds using the software interface built in collaboration with David Muth.
Media:
4 x panels of reclaimed Marfan plywood, 4 x capps of clear sanded Texan Plexiglas, 1 x yellow felt covered foam mattress, 7 x yellow felt covered cushions, 1 x 12 channel car audio system, 1 x Macmini, Max/MSP+ Java patches, 1 x webcam, 1 x mains transfomer.