Trimpin. Contraptions for Art and Sound

Trimpin, the sound sculptor and composer, has received MacArthur and Guggenheim fellowships; been the subject of a full-length documentary film and a profile in The New Yorker magazine; been included in hundreds of shows, performances, and new music festivals; and has had installations and exhibitions around the world. Despite all this, access to Trimpin´s work is limited. He doesn´t record his music and very few of his sculptural works are in public or private collections. This book captures a record of this remarkable journey and places Trimpin´s work in the context of visual art, music composition, performance, ambitious engineering, acoustics, and installation art. A touchstone for the book is a two-year series of exhibitions of his work in museums across the Pacific Northwest. It includes essays on Trimpin´s life, his work with composer Conlon Nancarrow, and a fully illustrated presentation of key sculptures and performances. Additional essays by writers, composers, and curators consider his work through specific pieces. Trimpin´s own voice is a continuous thread running through the entire publication.