December 2009 Music for a Sleeping Sculpture of Peter Broderick Slaapwel (cd, mp3)01 Music for a Sleeping Sculpture of Peter Broderick
created in berlin, june 2009
In April 2008, I played a concert in Utrecht, Holland. After the show, while I was standing at a table selling CD's, a girl walked up to me and said something to the effect of, "You have a very interesting face. I would love to use it for a sculpture."
I smiled and told her I thought that sounded very strange, but that I wouldn't be opposed. I gave her my contact information, and that was it. Six months or so later, I still hadn't heard from her, and had forgotten about it entirely. Then one day she wrote to me, telling me she still had plans for the sculpture, and still wanted to use my face. She asked me if I could take some pictures of my face from different angles. I took some photos and sent them over to her, and then months went by before I heard from her again.
Slowly her emails started coming more and more frequently, and I realised that she was serious about this project. Her name is Chrysa Chouliara, originally from Greece but relocated to Amsterdam for art school, and she was really making a life-size sculpture of me. The sculpture was to be laying in bed, sleeping, with a small motor in the chest, to create a sound that simulates breathing.
Wim at Slaapwel Records had asked me some time ago if I would like to make a contribution to the label, which I immediately agreed to. For many years I have loved to put on one of my favorite records late at night to help me drift away to sleep. And when I thought about this sculpture, it seemed this would be the perfect chance for me to make some very sleepy sounds.
I proposed to Chrysa that I could create a piece of music to be played on a loop at the opening exhibition of the sculpture, and she liked the idea very much. The opening was set for the first of July, 2009. So after my European tour ended in mid June, I spent a few quiet, sleepy days in Berlin, recording some music for the occasion.
I like to think of good sleep as a peaceful and quiet place. So when I made this music, my only goal was to somehow make it peaceful, and I hope that will come across. The quiet part is up to the listener.
Thank you for listening, and reading, and for just being here.
Peter Broderick
November 1, 2009
voice recorded by peter broderick
piano recorded by nils frahm
mixed by peter broderick
mastered by nils frahm
sculpture and photo by chrysa chouliara
limited to 500 physical copies, available directly from Slaapwel Records
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