"I could have sat for hours hypnotised by the final crystal chord of the spinning oscillators." - Live Art Magazine


Jan 20 - 24, 2009 7 & 8:30 pm
Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre

Jan 24 matinee @ 4pm Post-show Talkback Jan 21, 2009 8:30pm

Creator, Deviser and Performer Ray Lee Performer Harry Dawes Producer Simon Chatterton Technician Stavroula Kounadea Running Time 65m

Created by English artist, composer and performer Ray Lee, Siren is a whirling, spinning spectacle of mechanical movement, electronic sound and light. A forest of large metal tripods up to three metres tall have rotating arms that spin around, powered by electric motors. Hand-built electronic tone generators power loudspeakers at the end of each arm creating an extraordinary sonic texture of pulsing electronic drones. Small LEDs at the end of the arms trace circles of light as the arms rapidly rotate, creating a compelling visual image. The audience is able to move freely about the space and experience different sonic and visual perspectives of the work. Meanwhile, the performers move about within the mass of swirling metal machinery, operating their machines and tuning oscillators to change the musical composition while dodging and ducking the rapid movement of the rotating arms. “A fascinating counterpoint of sound and light” —The Independent (London) Ray Lee’s work investigates his fascination with the hidden world of electromagnetic radiation and in particular how sound can be used as evidence of invisible phenomena. He is interested in the way that science and philosophy represent the universe and his work questions the orthodoxies that emerge and submerge according to the currently fashionable trends. He creates spinning, whirling and pendulous sound installations that explore ‘circles of ether’, the invisible forces that surround us. He lectures in Contemporary Arts and Music at Oxford Brookes University. www.invisible-forces.com. Click to catch a preview of Siren

Tickets $20.00

Add $2 for at-door ticket purchases. This show is fully eligible for PuSh Pass access.