Ross Manning: Dissonant Rhythms

Overview

Imagine walking into a gallery and finding a musical instrument making sweet melodies right before your very eyes — without anyone playing it. Now, imagine that large-scale, self-playing instrument looks like a waveform, aka the visual representation of a wave that is often used to represent sound. That's Ross Manning's Dissonant Rhythms, or part of it at least. The Brisbane artist and musician is unveiling his first-ever survey exhibition, complete with the aforementioned room-filling new commission.

As well as changing the way you envision music being made, the Institute of Modern Art showcase will highlight Manning's fondness for repurposing everyday objects; think sculptures made from ceiling fans, fluorescent tubes and overhead projectors, resulting in quite the intertwining of light and sound. Indeed, between August 5 and October 29, it's safe to say that you won't find standard pieces of art lining IMA's walls. This is the kind of exhibition that will have its own vinyl album, after all.

Image: Ross Manning, dichroic filter piece (extended projection) (2012-14). Courtesy the artist and Milani Gallery.