Susan Philipsz,s Station Clock

to be new aural landmark for Birmingham

Birmingham Big Art Project

Ambitious, distinctive, and an euphonious way of bringing Birmingham’s people together through sound, the design of sonic artist Susan Philipsz triumphed as the winner of the Birmingham Big Art Project back in April 2017.

Now, nearly four years on, and despite the national tempest of pandemic-related regulations, creative processes are well under way for executing Turner Prize-winning Philipsz’s vision into a mellifluous reality.

Initially shortlisted alongside four other international artists, Philipsz’s aural ‘Station Clock’ sculpture was selected after approximately one million people took part in the decision to choose the winning artwork.

Implementing the twelve tones of the Chromatic musical scale to replace the twelve hourly chimes of a clock, the masterpiece will involve the recording of 1,092 voices from across Birmingham, each producing a tone from the scale. Once recorded, the participating voices are being transformed by Philipsz into different harmonic and discordant tonal combinations to be played on the hour, every hour, over a seven day period. Composed of between one and twelve voices, the sonic compilation has been aptly named ‘Twelve Tones’.

“The idea for ‘Station Clock’ came from looking at a drawing of the Chromatic Scale in my studio,” Berlin-based artist Philipsz reflected. “I look at it every day, there are twelve tones in the Chromatic Scale and I thought it’s kind of like a clock face. Every station should have a clock, but rather than have digits from a clock, I thought it could have tones from the Chromatic Scale.”

Set to be located outside the front entrance of HS2’s Curzon Street Station, ‘Station Clock’ will be situated on the ground, appearing as a large clock face, 15 metres in diameter with concealed audio equipment to produce its habitual sound. Lighting will also be included to enhance the aluminium, brass and nickel alloy strips used to define the clock sections.

As of today, 60 percent of the 1,092 voices have been recorded in partnership with the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire for ‘Twelve Tones’, in spite of sessions being halted due to COVID-19. Orchestrated by renowned conductor and composer Esmerelda Conde Ruiz, open recording days will commence in the coming months for any Birmingham citizens to have their voice documented, social distancing restrictions dependent of course.

There is a sensibility to it that is really moving,” producer and music director of the clock’s tones, Ms Conde Ruiz, said of the artwork. “For the community to identify with these voices and to have such a unique art piece that you can’t have anywhere else, I think that lots of people are going to come to see the piece as well. I think it will make the citizens of Birmingham really proud.”

Internationally recognised for her poignant sculptures using sound, Philipsz’s ‘Station Clock’ design promises to move and inspire the city daily, a reminder for its people of their emotional connection to each other.

According to Brigitte Franzen, James Lingwood and Michael Morris, director and co-directors respectively of a book of compiled essays on Philipsz’s works, an encounter with her art makes the onlooker feel ‘as if the sound is coming from the fabric of the place itself, emanating from stone or concrete, emerging from water or just hanging in the air.’

For people working and living in the city, ‘Station Clock’ tones will emanate from its heart outward, as if Birmingham is voicing its diverse and creative community.

With the next objective to achieve a fundraising target of £1.5 million, Philipsz’s master vision is still in the early stages of its accomplishment.

Until the construction of our beautiful landmark commences though, the original maquette of the ‘Station Clock’ can currently be viewed in the Birmingham and Midland Institute on Margaret Street. For more information about the artist, clock and team involved in this project, please visit the Birmingham Big Art Project website birminghambigartproject.org.uk n By Izzie Pridmore, Barques