Thursday, June 28, 2012

Video: Doug Aitken's Song 1 Project



Pitchfork recently released a behind-the-scenes video on the large art installation they helped produce with artist Doug Aitken.  The project was entitled Song1 and took place at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC last April.  With the help of 11 high-def projectors a video was broadcast on the exterior of the building featuring multiples versions of the 1934 classic "I Only Have Eyes for You" by The Flamingos reworked and re-imagined by musicians such as Beck, Lucky Dragons, Devendra Banhart, James Murphy, No Age, etc..

Aitken chose this song because he associates it w/ "sonic wallpaper", something we have heard so many times on radio, TV, etc.. that it has lost its meaning and essentially fades from our consciousness.  In this project the song is warped and poked at from every angle hoping to create something new.

On May 11th, the Hirschhorn had what they call "a happening" which was a live concert in conjunction with Song 1 in which many of the musicians in question including Animal Collective's Geologist created live soundtracks outside on the lawn of the musuem to accompany the video display.  The was also broadcast live on Youtube.



BONUS - The original Song1 promotional video

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