2021

kinetic sculpture/performance, 45x45cm + 35x35cm, Rotterdam (NL)

‘coin-cidence’ is a kinetic sculpture that searches its path on uneven surfaces.

The visitors are invited to throw coins on the ground and make a wish. The sculpture roll around

uncontrollably and occasionally roll over a coin producing a "bedum-tss"- sound which, allegedly,

makes the wish come true. (optional, vielleicht passt das nicht in dem Raum)

‘coin-cidence’ is a kinetic sound sculpture that consists of two motor-driven cymbals that roll

around uncontrollably. Continuously rolling left and right, forwards and then backwards, the

cymbals roll around, bumping into walls, corners and into each other. Thereby the cymbal-robots

encounter the limitation and characteristics of the interior space. A playful sound intervention that

makes little cracks, stones or stand on the fl

oor audible through subtle noises and rattle sounds of

cymbals.

This sound intervention is part of a series called ‘rolling things’. The first edition emerged during the

art residency ‘sonic explorers’ in 2020 in Dakar (SE). Nika Schmitt analysed the traffic and shifting

sound dynamics of markets and other public spaces and decided to create a performative moving

unit, built of two calabash-halves (‘calabasse’: multipurpose fruit of Senegal). This moving object

was then placed in the midst of the encountered traffic situation of Dakar. The calabashes are

joined back to back by a battery-powered motor and move autonomously from one side to the

other to find their way on the pavement and soils. Occasionally, pedestrians stopped and watched,

while others ignored and passed by. It became

a spontaneous intervention that showed a

somewhat familiar object exhibiting an unknown and unpredictable movement. The sounds of the

environment are merged with the buzzing noise of the motor and the crunching sound of sand and

stones under the rolling “calebasses”. The calabash performance was shown in the form of a video

at the open studios.

The second edition is ‘Con-tainers’, two coupled water gallons exhibited at the Künsterforum Bonn

in 2021. Comparable to tumble weeds, this version is an expression of objects without apparent

purpose that roll around aimlessly. The motorised gallon bottle-halves are moving through space,

bumping into each other and thereby changing the direction. Bored but restless, both engage with

the floor and the walls of the physical space.

‘coin-cidence’ is the latest version and was shown during ‘Raar- sound series’ at ‘Een

Kunstcentrum Charlois’ in Rotterdam (NL). Representing a type of kinetic fortune fountain, the

visitors were invited to throw coins on the floor for the connected cymbals to roll over them.

Occasionally a ‘tss’ sound could be heard whenever a cymbal-robot coincidentally rolled over a

coin.