Heralded as one of the most stimulating forces in contemporary music, German-born artist and MacArthur “Genius” award recipient, Trimpin has arrived at the School of Art & Design (SoAD) for a multimedia project that evokes the haunting memories of the Holocaust.
During his residency, which runs through Feb. 22, Trimpin will be assisted by Ann Arbor musician Frank Pahl as well as students from SoAD, the School of Information and German department in developing “The Gurs Zyklus” (“The Gurs Cycle”), a project that fuses kinetic sculpture, computer technology and 2-D and 3-D imagery.
Inspired by the lives of the Jews in his hometown during World War II, many of whom were transported to Gurs, a Nazi internment camp in France, Trimpin’s “Gurs Cycle” aims to evoke the sounds, sensory impressions and emotional texture of this devastating episode in his village’s history. As a hint of things to come, Trimpin has brought with him from Germany what he calls a “fire organ” as a part of this project.
A reception for “The Gurs Zyklus” is planned for 5-7 p.m. Feb. 21, at the School of Art & Design, 2000 Bonisteel Blvd., first floor
In a separate lecture, Trimpin will discuss his exploration of sound, vision and movement in “A Kinetic Retrospective.” The presentation, which is part of the Penny W. Stamps Distinguished Visitors Series, begins 5:10 p.m. Feb. 14 at Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty.
Extending a holocaust focus, Trimpin’s visit coincides with a newly opened University Library exhibit of Holocaust-era letters and photographs from the collection of Sala Garncarz, a Nazi labor camp survivor. While here, Trimpin also will help translate letters from the internment camp at Gurs sent by family members of Victor Rosenberg, a professor at the School of Information.
“Trimpin’s residency offers students first-hand experiences with an artist whose work is expanding our definitions of sculpture and music,” says Bryan Rogers, dean of SoAD.
