Design Miami Design Log
Sounds Like Bertoia
June 2011

A Monumental Double Gong Sculpture by Harry Bertoia, USA 1976.

SOUNDS LIKE BERTOIA

June 2011

It sounds like Todd Merrill will be making some noise at Design Miami/ Basel with sculptures designed by Harry Bertoia. The gallery will showcase three exceptional works by Bertoia, two of which were created as part of a music-themed suite of massive works for the Grieg Concert Hall in Bergen, Norway. The Sonambient Sculpture dated 1970 is comprised of 13 bronze rods each is finished with a beryllium copper sphere on the top, and the solid bronze base is 36” square. It is the largest sonambient work of Bertoia’s that is not currently in a public installation. The spheres knock together, causing the sculpture to emit sound. You can see it in action in the video clip below.

Todd’s booth will also feature a massive Double Gong sculpture from 1976. A pair of large gongs, six and eight feet in diameter, are suspended on a twin prong base and can be struck with a custom mallet to produce a sound resembling low thunder.

Harry Bertoia created massive Sonambient sculptures – both musical instruments and works of art – beginning in the 1960s.

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