Haroon Mirza

Siren

2019

In Siren, a cymbal rotates on top of a coffee table leg. A UV light bulb fed through a hole in the cymbal’s surface, dangles above a working analogue radio. As the motor rotates the cymbal and thus the bulb, its proximity to the radio causes interference that can be heard as a humming sound. The hum becomes louder and more intense as the bulb gets closer, in an endlessly repetitive composition. The radio is set to dead air instead of a working radio station, and in this way Mirza produced sound from a radio in an unconventional way. The title Siren has mythological connotations, and can refer to a calling as well as a warning signal. Siren also references Mirza’s past works such as SOS and Birds of Prey, both from 2010.

Medium

Cymbal, motor, wood, table leg, UV light bulb, light fixture, fabric cable, radio

Dimensions

Variable size

Credit

Courtesy the artist and Lisson Gallery