Opening tomorrow at Vienna’s Walking-Chair Gallery: Elmar Zeilhofer’s
“I tried to play the guitar. I failed. Then I built my own string things.”

Always on the lookout for new challenges, artist Elmar Zeilhofer wished to learn the guitar. But instead of wading through exhausting music lessons, Zeilhofer decided to craft a simple instrument for himself to play. His very first “Sound Box” – timbered of ordinary materials from the local DIY store – sounded so fascinating to him that he immediately made a follow-up model: and thus Zeilhofer’s first cigar box ukulele was born.

Currently, his collection consists of 42 different “Sound Box” instruments, most built of recycled material. Each of these unique string instruments has its own character, and is regarded by the artist as a coherent part of an evolutionary chain. Perfection is not important for Zeilhofer; his main goal is the joy of experimenting and exploring the musical and engineering possibilities. New experiences gained during the crafting process flow into follow-up models made in various workshops at his studio.

Walking-Chair and its founders, Karl Emilio Pircher and Fidel Peugeot, are proud to present 28 of Elmar Zeilhofer’s string instruments, now through September 9th. The various soundscapes of the instruments will be introduced within a live performance by “Indowa probt.”

I tried to play the guitar. I failed. Then I built my own string things.
July 2nd – September 9th, 2010
Exhibition opening: July 2nd 2010, 6:00 p.m.
Location: Walking-Chair Gallery, Rasumofskygasse 10, AT-1030 Wien

**All images courtesy of Walking-Chair Gallery.