A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave, common used as burial sites from centuries ago in Scandinavia, the Americans, Europe, and Asian . Each mound is a symbol that something has lived and died. Each mound is a marker and protector of something precious. Emanating from the mounds are whispers from the past, radiant tones of transformation and the echo of memories. Kuffner and O'Connor's tumuli are life sized monuments. They are both iconic and ironic figures melting into their environment with a perverse beauty backed by a visceral sound of polyrhythmic pulsations.
Songs of Uppsala by Aaron Taylor Kuffner (Zemi17)
Songs of Uppsala is an 8.4 surround sound installation embedded in sculptural mounds made of sod created from a special commission by Artist Wanted for the entrance area to Scope Miami 2010.
Aaron “Taylor” Kuffner is a Brooklyn based composer, sound and installation artist also known as the performing artist Zemi17. He is the co-creator, and art director of the Gamelatron: the world’s first fully robotic gamelan orchestra (http://gamelatron.com). He performs with the experimental music group Zero Gravity Thinkers, and is one of Brooklyn’s most sought after DJs.
As a solo artist, with the Gamelatron and other projects and collaborations, Kuffner has performed more than 300 times in 19 countries in the last decade. He has notably received Grants and awards from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, The Trust for Mutual Understanding, New York State Council on the Arts, Indonesian Foreign Ministry, The Berlin Arts Council, EU / European Commission, James F. Robison Foundation, and The Soros Foundation.
Contact:
e: taylor at tumuli.org
p: 917.727.5157
web: http://zemi17.net, http://gamelatron.com
The Viking Mountain Funeral by Ryan O'Connor
The Viking Mountain Funeral is a sculptural installation made from anthracite Coal, Welded Steel and Glass Vessels created from a special commission by Artist Wanted, on display at Booth D03,Scope Miami 2010.
Ryan O’Connor is a Brooklyn based sculptor. He received his MFA from Goldsmiths College (London) in 2007. Select exhibitions: 2010 "Eagle" 142 11th Avenue (curated by David Hunt) (w/ EMMA) 2009 "Riot Temple" Entrance to Scope Miami Art Fair (w/ EMMA) 2009 “Wild Flowers”, Parlour Gallery (NY, NY); 2008 “Object Salon” HoneySpace (NY, NY); 2007 Form Content (London). 2006 “MASH” curated by David Hunt ART Loves Design (Miami); 2006 “Goldsmiths MFA Survey” Whitebox Gallery (NY, NY); 2006 “Sea Art Festival” Busan Biennale (Busan, Korea).
As a founder of the Madagascar Institute art collective Ryan O’Connor has created large- scale sculptural works internationally since 2002 at the Glastonbury Festival (UK), Coachella (USA), Rododock (Holland), Scope Art (NY, USA) and Resonant Wave (Berlin, Germany).
Contact:
e: ryan at tumuli.org
p: 917.388.0647
Project Tumuli at Scope Miami November 30 - December 5, 2010 Wynwood Gallery Arts District | 3055 North Miami Avenue | Miami, Florida 33127