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Moving melodies a breeze
Victoria artist's wind harps create an air of tranquillity in public places
Carolyn Heiman
Times Colonist
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
A Victoria artist is getting murmuring sounds of approval for his idea to install giant wind harps and sanctuaries in public spaces.
Greg Joly wants the instruments, which date to ancient times, "to become a symbol of a new shift of ecological consciousness."
The aeolian wind harps, played by wind passing over strings, offer a primordial sound "pointing to something other than normal. I don't want to sound wacky about it, but it is true people get something spiritual from hearing it," Joly said.
He has asked the City of Victoria to consider transforming the boarded-up Checker's Pavilion in Beacon Hill Park into a "harmonic sanctuary." His pitches to include wind harps as public art contributions have resonated with developers involved in two major projects in the city.
Dockside Green developer Joe Van Belleghem said a wind harp "could be an interesting piece by (the Inner Harbour community's) amphitheatre" but final approval would be as a result of a public art selection process.
In the meantime, Van Belleghem is buying one for his home garden.
On a larger scale, Royal Roads University is in discussion with Joly to create a "wind harp sanctuary large enough to seat 20 people.
More recently Joly asked Victoria council to consider the installation at Checker's Pavilion which would cost $60,000.
"I would love to give to the people of Victoria and to visitors something to talk about," said Joly, explaining that the gazebo-like structure would be converted into a place where people could sit on grey days "to hear the vibrations."
Victoria Coun. Pam Madoff, who is the councillor liaison for parks, likes idea of the city buying a harp for the city's birthday next year. However it needs more research, along with determining the best location.
Joly's wind harps range from small window harps built to fit in an open window to one taller than a human. In 1982, with funding from the Canada Arts Council, he build a grand harp that emits long mournful sounds he has recorded and sold on CDs.
Now he's dreaming of building a harp temple where people can sit inside to experience the calming sound created from the wind.
In addition to park settings, he envisions them on hospital grounds and healing centres.
"They will become the next thing to have," Joly predicts, and since they've made their appearance at the avant garde arts event, the Burning Man Festival in Nevada, he may be right.
If Joly's idea sounds like a bit of an echo, it is. Several years ago he asked city council to consider purchasing a wind harp.
And yes, the harps can be turned off at night.
© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2007
caption: Artist Greg Joly shows one of his creations, a giant wind harp that employs breezes moving over strings to create an otherworldly sound. Joly has asked Victoria council to consider installing one of the instruments in the unused Checkers Pavilion at Beacon Hill Park. Bruce Stotesbury, Times Colonist.
If there were only one or two around -- and if they were really big, too -- I guess they could shake things up a bit and make things interesting (oooh, the vibrations!, groovy, I can just hear Atlantis calling on my cell phone...!). I just hope they don't become available in "mini" format for everybody's garden (Joe van Bellegham's version notwithstanding -- maybe he can afford a "quality" model)...
