Two Measures of Time at Stadtgalerie, Saarbrücken 2016

Two Measures of Time was an exhibition of two British sound artists, Max Eastley and Martin Riches, at Stadtgalerie, Saarbrücken from 16th September 2016 to 8th January 2017.

Max Eastley exhibited three site-specific installations in three different galleries, called: Rotations 1, Rotations 2 and Rotations 3. Two galleries were adjoining, so the installations in them, Rotations 1 & 2, were designed to be heard together. Gallery 3 was quite separate. All the pieces in all three galleries worked on the principle of destabilised rotational movement and gravity.

Photo by Pamela Marre

Photo by Anton Minayev

Rotations 1 consisted of six horizontal wooden rods hanging from cords, inset with steel wires holding beads of ceramic, wood and brass tube. There was one long wire on each rod which, as the rod revolved, caught against the wall behind until the torque of the motor built up enough force to make it suddenly release and sound. Overall length of the piece was approximately 25 metres.

Photo by Anton Minayev

Video by Lyria Eastley

Photo by Pamela Marre

Video by Lyria Eastley

Rotations 2 consisted of seven wooden rods, suspended vertically from motors. At the end of each rod, a sphere was attached. A length of steel wire was fixed into each rod and as the rod rotated, the wire caught onto the wall and was held there for a period of time until tension built up and the wire was suddenly released. This caused the sphere to strike a brass disc attached to the wall. Over the three months of the exhibition, the wires that caught on the wall left a permanent record of their paths.

Photo by Pamela Marre

Photo by Pamela Marre

Photo by Max Eastley

Photo by Anton Minayev

Photo by Pamela Marre

Video by Lyria Eastley

Photo by Pamela Marre

Photo by Anton Minayev

Rotations 3  was composed of twelve carbon fibre rods, attached to steel cables rotated by motors. The rods tapped on adjustable wooden bases raised off the floor and were activated by a motion sensor whenever someone walked into the room.