Trimpin: Klompen

This summer, the Frye is pleased to present the sound sculpture of Trimpin. The exhibition is part of a two-year, statewide retrospective honoring the artist’s twenty-five years of living and working in Seattle.

Comprising 120 Dutch wooden clogs connected to a computer by concealed wires and suspended from the ceiling, Klompen is one of Trimpin’s most legendary sound installations. It is a delightful tour de force of the artist’s attention to sight, sound, and movement. In this sculpture, a percussive rhythm resonates throughout the gallery as the clogs perform a “dance” triggered by devices placed in their toes. A different rhythmic pattern ensues each time the sculpture is activated.

The Frye’s installation of Klompen will include an educational display of the sculpture’s intricate components. Also exhibited will be several of Trimpin’s scores for sculptures and performances, which employ the artist’s unique notation system.

Art institutions and organizations participating in the Trimpin retrospective have included the Henry Art Gallery, Consolidated Works, the Museum of Glass, Suyama Space, and Washington State University Museum of Art. Additional Trimpin installations are scheduled for the Seattle Art Museum, the Tacoma Art Museum, and the Missoula Art Museum.