Ear Candy

Why should your eyes have all the fun? Don't you think your ears deserve a treat sometime? Add a little culture to your ears' aural routine and check out Celeste Boursier-Mougenot's exhibit at Paula Cooper Gallery. The audio art: 13 vacuum cleaners playing harmonicas. But this isn't some appliance Freak Show. This is almost a Buddhist experience. The gallery room is dark. With harmonicas attached to their nozzles, the vacuum cleaners blow (suck in) long individuals notes, some overlapping others. The sound is triggered by ambient noise within the gallery. When a vacuum cleaner plays, an amber light glows on the appliance's body. Within this Hoover Shrine (the brand is Sebo), lights twinkle and long, steady notes sound. The overall effect is calming and tranquil.