Untitled (Patetica) consists of an action, a sound work, and an installation based on Beethoven’s Sonata nº 8.
The action consists of methodically breaking a vinyl recording of this piece into small pieces, and constructing a rearranged object in the ground of the exhibition space, following a pre-specified method. When the vinyl is broken for the first time, it sounds louder and more explosive than most people would expect.
The sound work is a reorganization of a track on that record. The work is subtle, and superimposes a dynamic-oriented system to the track, stitching the original phrases one to another but reordered from pianissimo to fortissimo. As a result, the tensions created by the interpretation of this romantic piece are disabled and replaced with a crescendo that runs from start to end.
The installation consists of the reconstructed vinyl object left on the ground while the sound work is being played. Since attendants are not advised about the method used for its reorganization, nor the method for the organization of the sound track, the visual object is also the key to what’s going on in their ears.
Soundtrack below: