The Human Harp Is Turning A London Venue Into A Giant Instrument

Human Harp on Brooklyn Brigde. Image: Martin Noboa

In New York last year, artist Di Mainstone and members of London's Queen Mary University transformed Brooklyn Bridge into Human Harp, a sculptural performance where the bridge's suspension cables could be played like a harp using a specially-built body holster. The contraption, which The Creators Project documented in a video (below), featured retractable strings attached to the bridge and linked to sensors on the holster. The sensors could detect the vibrations from the cables, processing them through software before converting them into sound.

Di Mainstone and her team have now brought this idea of a "parasitic instrument" to London's Roundhouse, where they've set up the Human Harp LIVE-LAB, which will be stationed there until 24 August. The lab will also be testing 12 new versions of the Human Harp specifically for the Roundhouse building, a former railway engine shed converted into a live performance venue.

According to New Scientist these new instruments will mount "tiny hammers, similar to those in a piano, on the columns inside the space, [and] they plan to capture sound from the beams, influenced by their hollow structure and material." On top of the performances, the residency will also feature free workshops and talks.

To find out more about Human Harp revisit our documentary, below:

Human Harp LIVE-LAB, now to August 24th at the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, London NW1 8EH

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