Milk Rock

 Milk Rock is a machine made of parts of percussion instruments and leftovers from useful accessories, parts brought back to life and recycled for renewed use. Its rhythms may be retuned and changed to produce an endless vocal composition. It rotates around itself, producing sounds by pressing the attached pedal. The artist calls it a ‘silly machine’. There is no concrete reason for its existence other than rotating on an axis and making the viewer smile and experience local music.

The museum’s permanent display features objects used in religious and cultural rituals. Their use in such ceremonies and religious holidays brings the worshippers together, creating a sense of identification and belonging. Activation of this machine produces a consistent rhythm that spawns a similar sense of togetherness. Here, however, it is a transient ritual rife with humour.

In everyday life, machines and appliances are intended to facilitate an easier, better life. As time goes by they become more intelligent and automated. Milk Rock, by contrast, is more manual. Its insides are exposed. By pressing the pedal, the percussion instruments rotate and make sounds, producing musical gibberish.

#ongoingthings