Films & Events
Trimpin: The Sound of Invention
Eccentric artist/inventor/engineer/composer Trimpin (he only uses his surname) shuns the hype and hyperbole of the commercial art world, doesn’t have a cell phone or a website, and has never been represented by a gallery, dealer, or manager—yet his freewheeling sculptures and outrageous musical experiments are cherished by museums all over the planet. A Seattle resident since 1980—he moved here from Europe for the area’s greater access to used technological components—his work integrates sculpture and music in ingenious ways, often using computers to create compositions that are unrestricted by any human physical limitations. Filmed over two years, this documentary follows the artist-inventor as he devises a perpetual-motion machine, builds a 20-meter tower of automatic, self-tuning, electric guitars for the EMP Guitar Gallery, and collaborates with the Kronos Quartet on an outrageous world premiere. An amazing investigation of an extraordinary creative genius whose self-made world resembles both Santa’s workshop and Frankenstein’s lab, Trimpin: The Sound of Invention will delight anyone interested in the mysteries, pitfalls, and sheer joys of creative experiment. Director Peter Esmonde and subject Trimpin expected to attend May 22 and May 23 screenings
Sponsor:
KEXP 90.3 Seattle
Cast & Crew
Director: Peter Esmonde
Producer: Peter Esmonde
Editor: Rick Tejada-Flores
Cinematographer: Peter Esmonde
Music: Philip Perkins
Filmography: Debut Feature Film
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(3 reviews)
user reviews
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German seeks junk in NW, May 11, 2009
By Jeff Cavanaugh
“I'd never heard of the man before seeing this film, but having seen it, I now want to seek out examples of his work to see (and hear) firsthand. My first stop will likely be the EMP, where his centerpiece guitar sculpture is on display. An intriguing look into the creative process.”
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our hometown playful genius, May 23, 2009
By Wendy Jackson
“I had seen 4 of the shows that were featured in the film and it was wonderful to re-visit them. It was sad that exhibit spaces such as the Frye, Tacoma Art Museum and Suyama are not credited. Watching the Kronos Quartet and their East Coast concert vividly demonstrated Trimpin's delight in”
… full review
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Peeking into the world of a creative genius, May 24, 2009
By Zheng Wang
“A solid portrayal of Trimpin, a true artist/musician/engineer/inventor and a fascinating "adult child" who plays with sounds. I wish I could see more!”
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