2019 The Loop

The Loop, HO scale train, turntable, vinyl record, everyday objects, installation, 2019

 I have been exploring DIY electronics for years and I think electronic sound are very interesting because intangible electricity is changed into acoustic energy through speaker’s movement. Recently, I’ve interested in vinyl records. With the development of technology today, electronic devices have become smaller and more sealed and we cannot see what’s inside and how they can be functioned. In this regard, vinyl records are interesting and disappearing methods that sounds are stored in physical wave rather than digital and intangible way.

The turntable is placed in middle of the space and surrounded by train track. As toy train and vinyl records are connected by thin metal rod, Vinyl records are played not by turntable but by toy train contrary to the development of this technology and against practical purposes. Because it rotates much slower than the original playback speed, this system magnifies the scratching sound of needle and this rain-like distorted sound spreads into space. Around the train tracks, everyday items such as water bottles, boxes, and wood blocks are placed, which are projected as cityscape image on the walls of the space due to the light on the toy train.

When I first visited the Chicago downtown, I saw elevated train track loops around the city creating loud rolling sound. Because I lived some distance from school and had to take this train every day, this exposed and noisy train became a familiar image to me at some point. Sometimes, I live my daily life like running the rat race trying to escape from it. But if you take a walk slowly and savoring the same daily life, isn’t it possible to find new meanings in the repeated life?