Homage to New York

Paul posted yesterday about the Metamatics (art machines) of Jean Tinguely. Another certifiably weird work by Tinguely was his "Homage to New York" (aka "self-destroying work of art"). It was an elaborate sculpture designed to destroy itself, which it did for the amusement of an audience on the night of March 17, 1960. As described on Moma.org:

During its brief operation, a meteorological trial balloon inflated and burst, colored smoke was discharged, paintings were made and destroyed, and bottles crashed to the ground. A player piano, metal drums, a radio broadcast, a recording of the artist explaining his work, and a competing shrill voice correcting him provided the cacophonic sound track to the machine’s self-destruction—until it was stopped short by the fire department.

Some more footage (non-embeddable) here.

Waterloo Courier - Mar 18, 1960

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Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Posted By: Alex - Wed Jun 06, 2018
Category: Art | 1960s

Comments

I would have paid to see that. I've always had a fascination with kinetic artwork and one that self-destructs highlights that moment between integrity and chaos.

Posted by KDP on 06/06/18 at 11:15 AM

Well, at least it's more on point than the stuff he did with his wife. That fountain is still an eyesore.

Posted by Richard Bos on 06/08/18 at 02:52 PM

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