The latest body of work I am working on now is centered around the lap steel guitar. I am trying to deconstruct this guiatr and reduce it to its essential elements in an effort to make it was portable and compact as possible while presurving the functionality of the object. The lap steel has it origins in the start of the 20th century and have been designed in the Art deco style ever since. I am trying to break away from that tried and true visual language and create something more contemporary.
So for my first attempt at redesigning the lap steel, I took my knowledge of industrial processes and applied it to the lap steel. I started out with a clay model and then moved into Aluminium. I fell this first attempt was successful because I accomplished all of my original goals for this piece. It has been reduced to its minimum elements but yet it is fully functioning.
An important element of this piece is where the piece is installed and used. I what my work to be used and experienced by the viewer. In an attempted to get the work out into the public realm, I took my guitar down to the Milwaukee lake front and installed the piece on a picnic table. I sat there and played for about an hour and tried to get peoples attention. Few people approached me and none asked my if they could play it, I feel like they thought I wanted money. I think I need to get more musicians involved and have a jam possibly downtown or on Brady street on a weekend bar time.
For my next guitar is modeled after the Industrial Architecture of Milwaukee. I am changing my original goals slightly. This is a more site specific than the first guitar, this one you have to bolt the components down to a surface, making it slightly more permanent. It is actually finished, all I have yet to do is to install it in a space and record peoples interaction with the instrument. Coming soon.
