Gordon Monahan (1956) tvorí diela pre klavír, reproduktory, video, kinetickú sochu a počítačové zvukové prostredia presahujú do rôznych žánrov – od avantgardnej koncertnej hudby až po multimediálne inštalácie a sound art. Ako skladateľ a zvukový umelec kladie do vzájomného kontrastu kvantitatívne a kvalitatívne aspekty prírodných akustických javov s prvkami mediálnych technológií, prírodného prostredia, architektúry, populárnej kultúry a živej performancie. Okrem zvukových inštalácií a performancií v oblasti sound artu komponuje aj koncertnú hudbu pre tradičné nástroje. John Cage o ňom raz povedal: „Za klavírom Gordon Monahan vytvára zvuky, aké sme ešte nepočuli.“
Od roku 1978 Monahan vystupoval a vystavoval v mnohých verejných priestoroch, múzeách, galériách a na festivaloch, vrátane Hamburger Bahnhof (Berlín), Bienále v Benátkach, Secession (Viedeň), Ultima Festival (Oslo), Hebbel Theater (Berlín), The Kitchen (New York), Walker Art Center (Minneapolis), Merkin Hall (New York) a Massey Hall (Toronto).
sound installation
Piano Listening to Itself at Beckov Castle
A piano is suspended on top of Beckov Castle. Piano recordings are transmitted into long piano strings attached to the piano, causing it to vibrate in sympathy. Additional sounds caused by aeolian wind tones mix with the piano recordings, creating a spontaneous acoustic composition of piano music interacting with atmospheric harmonies.
For this version, Gordon Monahan references the piano music of Hummel, Chopin, and Cowell to create new compositions that are transmitted into the piano installed at the castle.
Gordon Monahan’s works for piano, loudspeakers, video, kinetic sculpture, and computer-controlled sound environments span various genres from avant-garde concert music to multi-media installation and sound art. As a composer and sound artist, he juxtaposes the quantitative and qualitative aspects of natural acoustical phenomena with elements of media technology, natural environments, architecture, popular culture, and live performance. In addition to creating a significant number of sound installations and sound art performances, Monahan also composes concert music for traditional instruments. The renowned composer John Cage once said, “At the piano, Gordon Monahan produces sounds we haven’t heard before.”
Since 1978, Monahan has performed and exhibited at numerous performance spaces, museums, galleries, and festivals, including Hamburger Bahnhof (Berlin), the Venice Biennale, the Secession (Vienna), Ultima Festival (Oslo), Hebbel Theater (Berlin), The Kitchen (NY), the Walker Art Center (Minneapolis), Merkin Hall (NY), and Massey Hall (Toronto).