Amy X Neuburg
Come to My House, 2020

powered audio speakers with AC cables, speaker wire, audio connectors, printed vinyl, balsa wood, acrylic sheeting, mounting board, acrylic paint, steel and aluminum hardware, circuit boards, wood and fabric miniature chair, steel wire

Artwork Statement:

“Come to My House” is a one-of-a-kind eight-channel album-length listening and looking experience comprising a custom made audio playback unit (designed by Donald Swearingen) and eight speakers “housed” in eight printed vinyl and wood sculptural shells. Using Amy’s graphic illustrations, artist Andrew Juris designed and printed the speaker sculptures. Amy composed, performed, recorded, and mixed the audio. Each sculpture corresponds in content to each of the eight songs, which take the listener on a wordy and weird surround sound journey into and around Amy’s metaphorical house, beginning with a solemn invitation of comfort and exploring notions of domestic solace, property lines, isolation with a partner, dangerous plants, and much more. The songs range in style from spacious and reverberant to angular electronic to downright pop. The music can be set to play through once or to loop continuously. It is best experienced by a small number of people sitting in the center of the speaker circle, but at lower volumes could provide an ongoing soundscape as people move about. A WORD OF WARNING: if you are one of those people who are disturbed by the sound of chewing, you may want to refrain from bidding on this item.

Artist Bio:

Amy X. Neuburg (Oakland) has been creating works for voices, electronics, and ensembles large and small for 30+ years, best known for her “avant-cabaret” live looping performances, her 4-octave vocal range, and her colorful lyrics. She has performed at venues worldwide, solo and in collaboration with orchestras, choruses, dancers, theater groups, and media artists. Lately, her interests have turned towards multichannel sound art. Amy studied voice, linguistics, and electronic music at Oberlin College/Conservatory and the Mills Center for Contemporary Music (CCM). 

Andrew Juris is a Berkeley-based visual artist, filmmaker, and animator whose current specialties are live multiscreen motion graphics for theater and dance events, and 3D printed sculpture installations.

Donald Swearingen is a longtime composer/performer/designer in the Bay Area’s creative and electronic music communities, known for his unique interactive inventions that trigger sound using hand and body gestures.