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Media Advisory for Friday, April 11, 2014

MacArthur “Genius” Grant award-winner and sculptor Walter Kitundu—who creates kinetic musical instruments—is installing a new work as part of the Oakland Museum of California’s new exhibition Vinyl: The Sound and Culture of Records. The work has a record turntable as its basis and members of the public will be able to activate it to play music and engage a large set of wings that will flap as the piece plays.

Kitundu and curator René de Guzman will be on hand to demonstrate the sculpture:

WHEN:  Friday, April 11, 2014, 12–1:30 PM

WHERE: Great Hall, Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, CA.
Conveniently located 1 block from Lake Merritt BART Station.
Secure underground parking is available at the Museum, entrance on Oak Street.

About Walter Kitundu
Walter Kitundu considers the turntable his first instrument that naturally became a lens through which he views the world. In attempting to expand its musical vocabulary, he found that it complimented and contributed to a range of other interests and investigations. Anything that turned, spun, fell, flew, sounded, or decayed was filtered through the turntable often resulting in new insights or forms. This eventually led him out into the natural world which prompted my photography. Kitundu is a sound artist, installation artist, and inventor of original musical instruments that navigate the boundary between live and recorded performance. He also makes hand-built turntables that interact with the wind and rain, fire and earthquakes, birds, light and the force of ocean waves. His work has been exhibited and performed at such national and international venues as the Singapore Science Centre, the Gunnar Gunnarsson Institute, Iceland; the Walker Art Center, the Museum of Craft and Folk Art, and the Aukland Arts Festival in New Zealand. In 2008 he became a MacArthur Fellow.

Vinyl: The Sound and Culture of Records
April 19–July 27, 2014
Explore the social and cultural phenomenon of listening to, collecting, and sharing records in Vinyl: The Sound and Culture of Records. Delve into a uniquely Californian take on this popular medium with experiences ranging from individual and group listening stations to informal talks and live performances. Listen to music produced by influential Bay Area independent labels, examine notable record collections, explore displays of vibrant album cover art, and hear interviews with record collectors—all in an innovative listening space. With opportunities to play albums and participate in music events and performances, Vinyl invites you to become a part of the exhibition itself. Vinyl connects to OMCA’s major spring exhibition SuperAwesome: Art and Giant Robot through programs and in-gallery experiences celebrating how a range of communities comes together to create shared popular culture.

RSVP your coverage of the March 24 installation to Scott Horton 510-229-9739 or Claudia Leung, 510-318-8459.