Stringed Instruments from Potophonics
Potophonics at the Orphic Gallery in Roxbury is a retrospective of the career of Edward Potokar from his days at the Cleveland Art Institute to more recent works representing the fusion of furniture design and instrument making. The show exemplifies Ed’s talent in fashioning percussive instruments (a natural for the son of a polka and Latin drummer), stringed instruments some modeled on native models Ed has encountered in his travels abroad, and synthesizers fashioned from various boxes including a Queen Elizabeth Silver Jubilee Biscuit Tin to recent designs exquisitely crafted from cherry wood.
Visitors to the Orphic Gallery have been enthralled at the aesthetic presentation of the exhibit – one display of string instruments is reminiscent of a Joan Miro painting while a trio of stumpf fiddles is evocative of a Braque composition. The showstopper remains The Broadcaster – a towering sound sculpture resembling a windmill with a rotating top that generates random noise from a multitude of metallic tines but whose entire structure is composed of percussive surfaces.
In conjunction with Spillian – A Place to Revel, The Orphic Gallery is pleased to present a special workshop and concert featuring Ed Potokar at Spillian in Fleischmanns on Saturday, August 24th. During the day Ed will lead a workshop on instrument making, first making a presentation on the process of creating his marvelous works from conception through execution, then guiding us as we contrive our own stumpf fiddles from materials provided by Spillian or from the surrounding woods. In the evening, Ed and some of his friends from the NYC new music scene will lead the group in making beautiful stumpf fiddle/sonic totem music together in a brilliantly irreverent jam session.
For further information on the Potophonics exhibit and Spillian workshop please see:
