I have just returned from a great couple of days in Nottingham – giving a keynote address to coincide with Geoffrey Farmer’s amazing sound sculpture – Let’s Make the Water Turn Black. Alongside my two colleagues –  Prof. Richard Hand and Dr Richard Hemmings – we each discussed a pertinent angle of how Frank Zappa’s music resonates with the sculpture – before opening the discussion up to the floor. A full recording of the event can now be accessed below

It was fantastic to see so many people interested not only in the sculpture, but also the ways in which Farmer used Zappa’s creative processes as a template for the work. Aside from the more obvious indicators such as cactus plants, pumpkins and a penguin – the relationship between the two artists was very subtle. I think what fascinated me the most was the sound track consisted of over 60 hours of recorded material – so each time you visit the ‘event’ –  the combination of sculpture, sound and lights is different!

So – enjoy the discussion. Here are a few other pics that may also encourage your appetite to visit the work. It is open until early January.