Laurie Anderson – “Laurie Anderson Playing Viophonograph”
14 10 2010
The great thing about the record exhibition is the way it plays with the concept of the record. Laurie Anderson’s viophonograph and the accompanying picture seen here is a great example of this. Anderson replaced the strings of a violin with a record. She also manipulated the bow so that she could in fact “play” the record.
The picture of Anderson actually playing her contraption is especially poignant because it at first glance appears to just be a typical violin. The position in which she holds the violin seems professional and her glance and the black and white scheme make it serene and professional. Yet second glance reveals a playfulness. What is that white circle where the strings should be? Oh! It’s a record. In this way, it is the perfect example of what the exhibition as a whole is attempting to show.
