Speech Organ is meant to be played. Connected to the keys of twenty-five old classical organs, the artist selected one thousands words which can form speeches, messages or poetry. When played together a dialogue can be created with the installation. Tudor Bratu created the work to spark creativity and interaction among the audience.
The artwork is a speech machine build out of the components of twenty-five classical organs. The central construction is connected to a computer system and a sound amplifier with speakers. Each key of the organs is connected to a sound file – when a key is stroked, the sound file is activated and a single word is pronounced through the speakers. There are one thousand keys to use, each corresponding to one thousand sound files, which in turn, correspond to the one thousand most commonly used words in the English language. Each key of A Speech Organ has its corresponding word printed on its surface. The one thousand words have been recorded using the voice of one of the artists.
twenty-five classical organs reconfigured into an artwork that produces speech, conversation and poetry
About Tudor Bratu
Tudor Bratu (1977, RO) graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in 2003. He pursued studies in Art History at the University of Amsterdam, and finished a two-year Research Residency at the Rijksakademie voor Beeldende Kunsten in 2008.
Since 2010 Bratu is the managing director of Bucharest AiR, an artists residency program located in Bucharest, Romania. From 2013 onwards Bratu collaborates with Chongqing Artists-in-Residency, an international residency program located in the city of Chongqing, China, as the programs artistic director.
Bratu's works in photography, bookmaking and installation are part of various international collections, such as the Bibliotheque Kandinsky of the Centre Pompidou, the Amsterdam Photography Museum FOAM, the collection of the Rijksakademie voor Beeldende Kunsten, and the Allard Jakobs Collection.