Good suggestion. Metal is in order as it would have to be the characters themselves ringing against each other, and not some character/chime combo.

Birgit:

A Jay bomb. Jostling “Qs” and “As” are at least a start.

A charming theory, but I’m skeptical. Function and convenience were hard enough to come by. After that, I suspect sociological or historical considerations were more important, i.e. locating art where others would be more likely to see it or where some event occurred.

Perhaps you should try a wind chime concept with your Q&A project. A Q might knock into an A and induce a harmonious or a dissonant response. If the wind blows another way, a Q might invoke another Q.

You too can achieve that look with enough wayward plaster and a good overhand throw.

Random note: your Anasazi photo reminds me of something I read. A fellow reportedly samples the acoustics at locations where pictographs and cave paintings are found and finds a high correlation between the art and the aural environment. Echoes, it appears, were deemed by our forebearers as spirit voices. This fellow also claims evidence, based upon wear and tear, that the cave people played ribbon stalactites like chimes. I bring this up to ask if you find anything peculiar, outside of the issue of shelter, in these locations that you photograph.

You’ve captured the shattered look I was going for in a previous Anasazi post:

Not new, I’m afraid, but hopefully cross enough for you.

Pushing this aggregation into any face would likely produce lacerations as the corners and edges are fairly sharp.

The material is actually expanded pvc, a fairly rugged and stable material, easily cut and shaped and which takes paint well. We’re lucky to have a plastics fabricator downtown whose showroom has a section of cutoff bins. I’ve become a regular around the place.

Again, these chains seem to demand their freedom to drape. A brisk breeze arose soon after the shot was taken and knocked the thing down like a house of cards. A somewhat thicker sheet would allow careful pinning together of elements. But the thin placard effect allowed by the properties of this material seems far more appropriate to the subject than the previous chunky stuff, and certainly merits a resolution of the stability issue.

And thanks for your approving comments.

Nice. Now, can you figure out how to preserve this? Or are you working up to becoming a recorder of your ephemeral art?