Final Project Proposal

Musical Monkey Bars

An actual size set of monkey bars that play a different note of a musical scale for each rung that is hung from.

For my final project, I wanted to make a piece that forces the user to act like a child. I was having trouble coming up with an idea until I saw a piece by Jean Tinguely that reminded me of a playground. This inspired me to make a set of monkey bars approximately 8 feet long and 7 feet tall. When ever a rung has any weight on it, the bars will produce a musical note. Each rung should correspond to a basic music scale. This will be accomplished by a sensor at the end of each rung, turning each bar into an input device. When someone hangs on a rung, the switch will trigger and the note will play. Additionally, I would like for each bar will have a corresponding set of lights on the outside that will turn on when their note is played. This may not be possible because budget constraints. The bars will have a mind of their own, similar to Kelly Dobson’s piece Blendie. So, at random times when no one is using the bars, they will go off and play their own music.

Here is a rough budget

Timber-Bilt Monkey Bar Kit $26.47

This kit comes with 6 rungs and instructions on how to build a set of monkey bars, so my need for lumber, nuts and bolts may change based on them.

Pressure Treated Wood

7 8 foot long 2 x 4 $3.29 each $23.03

1 8 foot long 1 x 6 $05.75

1 8 foot long 1 x 4 $03.98

Nuts and Bolts

5” steel bolts $9.90 per 5 $19.80

Electronics ?

Speakers

Switches

Wire

Power cord

Lights

In Class Scupture

In a recent class, we were given three words at random and told to make a sculpture using materials found in the classroom based on these words.  I worked with Carley Jacobson to make our sculpture based on the three words vaporecence, impropriate and counterpunch.  The pinwheel spins in reaction to the hair dryer; this represents both vaporecence and counterpunch.  The springs that decorate to sculpture are another symbol of counterpunch because springs always push back when pushed.  The actual structure of the piece resembles a castle. This is tied to our third word, impropriate, which means to assume or acquire. We interpreted this word to involve assumed wealth, this being represented by the castle.  Additionally, the pinwheel spins by assuming the power of vapor, further tying the words into the piece.   

Here are some examples of theremins made with arduino,
a simple sonar based theremin and a more complicated version

Meet blendie. Neat idea, but its creator Kelly Dobson comes off as a little bit crazy.

This sculpture called Splash is a really beautiful piece that comes from such a simple idea, a single drop of water. I find it amazing, the complexity that can arise from such a simple idea. The end result is a wonder to behold.

I found this installation called Maximilian's Schell, it really caught my eye. Because of its scale you can just walk in and lounge around. I like work like this, it is both beautiful to see and has a function.