Aeolus Acoustic Wind Pavilion

The Aeolus Acoustic Wind Pavilion is a musical installation artwork created by Luke Jerram. It is a large aeolian harp that was inspired by Jerram's time in Iran. The installation toured England from 2011 to 2012, appearing at Lyme Park, the Eden Project, MediaCityUK and Canary Wharf.

Aeolus Acoustic Wind Pavilion
The installation at Canary Wharf
String instrument
Classification Chordophone
Inventor(s)Luke Jerram
Developed21st century

Origins
The shaft of a Lybian qanat. Some noises produced by a qanat inspired Jerram to create Aeolus.

The pavilion was created by Luke Jerram, an artist from Bristol, with help from Tim Waters (University of Southampton), Ian Drumm (University of Salford) and the Arup Group.[1][2][3][4] Funding was provided by Arts Council England (who provided £95,000),[5] the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and Outokumpu.[3]

The installation is named after Aeolus, the Ancient Greek ruler of the winds.[6] Jerram first conceptualized the installation in 2007 during a spell in Yazd, Iran.[7][8][9] While speaking with a well-digger working on a qanat,[10] the digger mentioned that the qanat would sometimes make sounds at times when there was wind. This inspired Jerram to create a piece of architecture that "would resonate and sing with the wind".[6]

Design

Aeolus is an aeolian harp, a stringed instrument that produces music using the wind.[6] Nylon strings are stretched along the tubes, which amplify the strings' sounds.[11][12] During times that there is no wind, tubes with no strings play low tones in the aeolian mode.[6][13][2] The sounds Aeolus produces have been likened to the minimalist music of Steve Reich.[12]

The installation's design takes cues from religious architecture, such as St. Peter's Basilica and the domes of mosques.[6] Jerram used 310[2][7] polished stainless steel tubes to create the piece.[8] The installation is 6 metres (20 ft) tall[9] and weighs around 10,000 kilograms (22,000 lb).[14] Each tube measures 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in) in length.[5]

Touring

Aelous toured England from 2011 to 2012. The tour began at Lyme Park where it was in display from 6-20 August 2011.[1][3] It then appeared at the Eden Project from 19 September to 9 October.[5] During its time at the Eden Project, an exhibition showcasing Aeolus' creation took place at the Royal West of England Academy.[5] The installation then displayed at MediaCityUK from 22 October[15][14] before finishing with a spell at Canada Square Park in Canary Wharf, London from 27 March to 10 May 2012.[2][10][16]

References
  1. "Acoustics sculpture | Aerospace | University of Southampton". www.southampton.ac.uk. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  2. "Acoustic wind pavilion makes music out of thin air". New Atlas. 2012-04-22. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  3. "Unique acoustic sculpture that 'sings' with the wind comes to Lyme Park". Messenger Newspapers. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  4. "Salford scientists help create wind sculpture". Manchester Evening News. 2010-11-20. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  5. "Arts Council Press Office". 2012-02-02. Archived from the original on 2012-02-02. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  6. Make Magazine, Issue 33. O’Reilly Media. 2013.
  7. db, leigha (2012-03-29). "luke jerram: aeolus wind sound sculpture at canary wharf, london". designboom | architecture & design magazine. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  8. "Aeolus – Acoustic Wind Pavilion / Luke Jerram - eVolo | Architecture Magazine". Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  9. "A Public Sculpture That Moans and Howls in the Wind". Bloomberg.com. 2012-05-30. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  10. "Aeolus Pavilion is a Gigantic Acoustic Sculpture that Sings With the Wind in London". Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building | Green design & innovation for a better world. 2012-04-17. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  11. "Structural Engineering Design for the Aeolus acoustic wind pavilion - Arup". www.arup.com. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  12. Cox, Trevor (2014-01-21). "The 10 strangest musical instruments". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  13. "Aeolus is a remarkable wind powered instrument humming away in Canary Wharf". www.itsnicethat.com. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  14. Cox, Trevor (2014-02-10). The Sound Book: The Science of the Sonic Wonders of the World. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-23979-9.
  15. "Public Art Online News - Aeolus – Acoustic Wind Pavilion by Luke Jerram". publicartonline.org.uk. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  16. Noorata, Pinar (2012-04-05). "Interactive Acoustic Wind Pavilion". My Modern Met. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
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