The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 28, 2024

Tonal Sculpture

Tonal Sculpture

c. 1971
(American, 1915–1978)
with base: 319 cm (125 9/16 in.)
© Estate of Harry Bertoia / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Location: not on view

Description

"I accidentally struck one rod when I wanted to bend it. The sound echoed in my mind for a very long time." In those words Harry Bertoia explains the genesis of a large group of works which he called "sounding pieces." The largest number of these works are based on groups of interacting wires, but he also expanded his notion of sculpture that produces audible tones to include "singing bars" and gongs. Bertoia set up a remodeled barn in 1968–69 to hold his special collection of tonal sculptures and to function as a sound recording studio. He gave small concerts to visitors and friends and recorded 11 albums of the haunting sounds of sculpture known as "Sonambient" during his lifetime.
  • Year in Review: 1979. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (February 13-March 9, 1980).
  • {{cite web|title=Tonal Sculpture|url=false|author=Harry Bertoia|year=c. 1971|access-date=28 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1979.139