Jean Tinguely’s Four Méta-Harmonie Music Machines at Museum Tinguely, Basel

Swiss artist Jean Tinguely’s sculptures always have an acoustic dimension, which was consciously composed and balanced by Tinguely as part of the works. They generate noises, sounds, and apparently random music. This musical side reached a climax with the four Méta-Harmonie music machines between 1978 and 1985. The exhibition “Music Machines / Machine Music” provides the unique opportunity to experience these large-scale and versatile sound boxes, which are at home in Karuizawa (Japan), Vienna, and Basel, in dialog with one another. The four artworks form the stage for a broadly defined program of events and concerts devoted to the theme of mechanical music, which includes artists such as Zimoun, Bianca Hildenbrand, Eliza Coolidge, Timothy Severo, Thom Luz and others. This video has its focus on Jean Tinguely’s four Méta-Harmonie music machines. This video is an excerpt, the full-length version is available at Music Machines / Machine Music at Museum Tinguely, Basel.