This year is the 50th Anniversary of the John Cage piece 33 1/3 first premiered in Davis, Ca., November 21,1969. The John Cage composition 33 1/3 was part of the event called Mewantemooseicday. The work 33 1/3 consists of 12 record players and 300 records arranged on tables around a room without chairs on which to sit. Loudspeakers were distributed around the space. The audience was given no instruction, but after a while, people began putting records on the phonographs. Eventually a dynamic and unpredictable layering of sounds occurs creating a series of unique moments as the music merges and mixes. Over the years this work has been presented in a number of different forms in various countries in many different kinds of spaces. In Sculpture/Environmental Art at GSA we plan to re-stage the work to celebrate its 50th Birthday. We will re-present work in Glasgow in a great venue on George Square in Glasgow on 01/11/19 alongside a series other student led events to mark a contemporary manifestation of Mewantemooseicday.
Over the past weeks our students have been involved in a studio workshop where they have been building wooden structures, plinths and tables that will support the record players and records. In tandem with the students we are activating our contacts in the local art and music scenes, reflecting the rich relationships between music and art historically in Glasgow in order to gather the 300 records and the players. As we gather the records we plan to make an Instagram page to help build knowledge and interest in John Cage 33 1/3 and to gather the group of 300 records that will constitute the material for the piece, documenting where they have come and who has contributed in order to build interest and momentum for the re-staging in the Cage work 33 1/3 on 1st November 2019.
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Image taken from John Cage 33 1/3 at the Henry Art Gallery on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjwp6GHAfS8
