8-Ball Obbligato - Judith Blankman

South Beach Billiards
for Secession Gallery
San Francisco, CA
1992

WORKS
San Jose, CA 1993

Wood and metal instruments made with billiard balls and cue sticks.

Installation/performance designed for South Beach Billiards in San Francisco for “Pool”, a performance event sponsored by Secession Gallery. This work consisted of both composed and improvisational music involving live and recorded acoustic instruments and sound sculptures.

Judith and Opie Bellas activate 8-foot tall palo de lluvias (rain sticks) — “Sound Columns:” two 8-foot long palo de lluvias (rain sticks) one rectangular wood, one tubular metal, were rocked back and forth, or flipped around so the billiard balls would roll down hitting the dowels to create sound.

Judith plays the wood sound column in the foreground, other performers are in the distance — Performance at South Beach Billiards included sound columns, a “xylphone” made from broken cue sticks, and African drums.

Judith plays the cubular bells: cue sticks hung in a row from a long 2x4 — Judith plays the “Cubular Bells” at South Beach Billiards

"xylophone" and triangle in performance — Opie Bellas plays the “xylophone” while Marilyn Hudson shuffle billiard balls inside a wood triangle on the floor

Cubular bells: cue sticks hung in a row from a long 2x4 — Cubular Bells: cue sticks hung in a row from a long 2 x 4 Dimensions: 8’H x 10’ W x 3”D

Palo de lluvia (rain stick): plywood, dowels, plexiglas, & billiard balls mounted to rock or spin. — “Sound Columns,” 8 foot tall palo de lluvias (rain stick) filled with billiard balls. One was made from plywood, dowels, plexiglas. Another was made with a metal tube and metal bolts that criss crossed the interior.

Palo de lluvia (rain stick) being rocked by Judith during the performance — “Sound Column” in the form of a large palo de lluvia (rain stick) was rocked back and forth, or tipped upside down so the billiard balls would roll down hitting the dowels to create sound.

Performers on stage at WORKS showing the layout of the sound sculptures and an African drum. — Performers on stage at WORKS waiting to begin. Marilyn Hudson (foreground), Sage Baggott (drums), Opie Bellas and Judith Blankman (behind cubular bells).

the scene after the performance — The audience at WORKS tries out the sound sculptures after the performance.