The Water Organ is an intriguing kinetic artwork built on an eighteen-foot catamaran. It gathers data about the river or waterway in which it floats through a series of electronic sensors and translates it into sound sequences which are played in real time on a small wind organ mounted onboard and pumped by a paddle wheel. This weekend it comes to the Ken Bridge, kicking off a series of events celebrating the river crossing’s 200-year anniversary.
Every location in every river creates its own unique sound sequences, its own music. Sequences are also recorded and collected so that one river’s music can be played to another, making a watery conversation. Come and see the Water Organ making music at the Ken Bridge on 27th and 28th August.
The Water Organ will be installed in the river on Saturday and Sunday between 11am to 6pm. Booking to see the Water Organ is not necessary, but more info is here: https://gcat.scot/event/water-organ-by-mark-zygadlo/.
A video of the Water Organ’s background and in action is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3-YM4PrIlc.
The arrival of the water organ kicks off a series of events to commemorate the 200-year anniversary of the Ken Bridge. For full details on all events, visit www.gcat.scot.
Peter Renwick, GCAT’s Creative Director, said:
“We are chuffed to bits that Mark’s Zygadlo’s Water organ will be at the Ken Bridge as part of our celebrations of the Bi Centenary of the completion of the bridge. It has been a real hit at Spring Fling and Findhorn Bay Arts Festival. On the 27th of August this will form part of our year of Scotland’s stories supported day of family events as part of the Ken Bridge 200, bicentenary celebrations.”
The Water Organ installation is being supported by the Galloway Glens Scheme. Jan Hogarth, Galloway Glens Education & Community Engagement Officer, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to be supporting environmental artist, Mark Zygadlo’s Water Organ. The Water Organ responds to its environment and the movement of the water on the river creating a fascinating random and slightly quirky soundscape. It is fun and playful but also explores our relationship with rivers and different river environments through their unique music.”
The Galloway Glens Landscape Partnership Scheme is a suite of projects happening across the catchments of the rivers Ken and Dee from 2018 to 2023. £2.7million of core funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund will be matched by a variety of partners to bring over £5million of investment into the area over the 5 years. The area stretches from the uplands behind Carsphairn in the north, through the Glenkens, past Loch Ken, through Castle Douglas and out to the sea at Kirkcudbright. 35 headline projects plus more Small Grants projects all aim to connect people with their cultural, natural and built heritage, and to support sustainable modern rural communities. For more information about the scheme, visit www.gallowayglens.org.
Glenkens Community and Arts Trust (GCAT) was set up in 2001 to advance wellbeing and sustainability through arts, culture and community engagement through fostering connections and encouraging innovation and creative opportunity for all. CatStrand, the HQ of GCAT, is the physical cultural hub of Glenkens and the surrounding area. It is a vibrant centre for the presentation of high quality, accessible arts and creative learning opportunities. For more information see www.gcat.scot
