Yale CCAM Sound Art Series: Joe Jones Retrospective
The CCAM Sound Art Series presents a retrospective on the influential sound art pioneer Joe Jones (1934–1993). Join us for an evening with series curator Ross Wightman (CCAM Technical Manager), who will share his research on Jones' innovative work and lasting impact on sound art and Fluxus. As part of his talk, Wightman will reconstruct and demonstrate a selection of Jones’ music machines from the 1960s—a rare opportunity to experience these innovative creations firsthand.
Joe Jones was an American avant-garde musician and visual artist affiliated with the Fluxus movement. Born in 1934 in New York City, Jones developed an early interest in music, studying under composers like John Cage, Earle Brown, and Christian Wolff. Jones was best known for creating automatic music machines that perform without human intervention, incorporating elements of kinetic art and experimental music to produce unique soundscapes.
In the early 1960s, Jones created numerous music machines and other contraptions exhibited internationally, collaborating with prominent Fluxus artists such as Yoko Ono and Nam June Paik.
Jones’s work challenged traditional notions of musical performance, emphasizing the roles of chance and the environment in sound creation. His self-playing Solar Music Constructions, powered by solar energy, produced sound through the interaction of sunlight with mechanical and electronic components. This paved the way for future explorations in eco-conscious art forms. In addition to his music machines, Jones was a pioneer in early computer drawings.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. Participants will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis, and room capacity limits will apply.
Details
Join us for an evening with series curator Ross Wightman (CCAM Technical Manager), who will share his research on Jones' innovative work and lasting impact on sound art and Fluxus. As part of his talk, Wightman will reconstruct and demonstrate a selection of Jones’ music machines from the 1960s—a rare opportunity to experience these innovative creations firsthand.
Joe Jones was an American avant-garde musician and visual artist affiliated with the Fluxus movement. Born in 1934 in New York City, Jones developed an early interest in music, studying under composers like John Cage, Earle Brown, and Christian Wolff. Jones was best known for creating automatic music machines that perform without human intervention, incorporating elements of kinetic art and experimental music to produce unique soundscapes.
In the early 1960s, Jones created numerous music machines and other contraptions exhibited internationally, collaborating with prominent Fluxus artists such as Yoko Ono and Nam June Paik.
Jones’s work challenged traditional notions of musical performance, emphasizing the roles of chance and the environment in sound creation. His self-playing Solar Music Constructions, powered by solar energy, produced sound through the interaction of sunlight with mechanical and electronic components. This paved the way for future explorations in eco-conscious art forms. In addition to his music machines, Jones was a pioneer in early computer drawings.
CCAM Sound Art Series
Admission
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. Participants will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis, and room capacity limits will apply.