Play It By Ear is an interactive sound sculpture for Butler Memorial Park in Edmonton (Treaty 6).
Latest posts
-
Play It By Ear
Play It By Ear is an interactive sound sculpture inviting a neighbourhood to talk to itself. 13 brightly coloured telephone pillars are placed throughout Butler Memorial Park in Edmonton/Treaty 6. Each pair of colour-coded telephones is connected by looping ‘landlines’ curling underfoot. Park visitors can pick up any telephone and a matching phone will ring…
-
Home Phone Windows & Play for All Ages
Play It By Ear is a play structure for all ages. What does play look like to different ages? How do seniors play? What does it mean to participate indirectly in an interactive artwork? In this blog post, we’ll talk about the origins of the imagery for the round “Home Phone” windows, intergenerational play, and…
-
Fabrication & Installation
When it came time to fabricate and install the artwork, almost every element had to be carefully considered, hand-crafted, and planned specifically for Play It By Ear. From aluminum fabrication, to electronics, to automotive painting, to underfoot details, this blog describes the fabrication and installation of Play It By Ear.
Why Telephones?
Butler Memorial Park is an outdoor living room for many. Tucked between a historic Alberta Government Telephones (AGT) building and an Edmonton Bus Station, it is a place of transitions and missed connections. Some people live here, others play here, still more pass through, sometimes forgetting to stop and talk to the strangers who could be friends. You’re invited to pick up a telephone and have a conversation with your neighbour – play it by ear!
Want to participate?
Play It By Ear is an interactive audio sculpture! Want to check out the finished piece? Stop by anytime – Play It By Ear is a long-term public artwork. The installation will be there!
Now Open!
Play It By Ear 