Sound Board Slides

Sound Board Sliders perfectly blends into the atmosphere of the 12th Ave South area. Most people do not realize it is anything besides a bike rack until they look close. The black upward poles and the silvery gray of the faders creates a stunning contrast that really makes it pop. The sculpture is rather smooth to the touch and gleams in the sunlight on a bright day. The upward pointing black poles are arranged in parallel lines and separated by a little bit of space. This makes them one sculpture even though there are five non-independent pairs of poles. Since they go upward, it forces your eyes to look up and then back down again to the ground. The black and white element could refer to how long music production has been important in Nashville with a flashback style feel. Some of Duncan’s other work is in color which would suggest that this lack of color was on purpose and possibly means he wants this work to blend into the surrounding architecture.

The Sound Board Sliders are a perfect representation of the growth and expansion of the culture and community of Nashville, TN. Having lived in Nashville all of my life, I see this sculpture as a look towards the future of this great city. In the past, it has been almost impossible to bike anywhere, but now thanks to new bike racks like the one above it is a much more feasible mean of transportation. The faders represent the way music has affected this city and how they will be there as the city continues to grow.

The theme of the work seems to be a commentary on the progression of Nashville’s music and cycling culture that will expand the community of Nashville further and further. Encouraging cycling only further fortifies the city’s strong community bond and makes people more likely to ride their bikes. This reduces the city's pollution and also strengthens the sense of in-person interactions we tend to miss out on because of our extremely wired culture. Getting a group of people together in one location to share ideas and interact causes relationships to build and ideas to spread faster than ever. We are the forefront of a rapidly developing culture similar to the Renaissance. The location of the bike rack brings people to an area overflowing with culture and passion, which only helps our city grow more.

Duncan’s work is not only pleasing to look at but it also is a functional piece of art that is commonly used by the public. He is happy to be a part of the ever expanding biking culture of Nashville which has been growing rapidly thanks to greenways, bike lanes, and other functional art bike racks.

Duncan is an avid creator of public art and his passion for cycling and the community influences his aesthetic appreciation and interpretation of the world around him. From his observation and knowledge of the outside, he creates his own outlook upon the public through his art.

Media & Techniques used:Steel sculpting, music production, powered paint

Style:Sculpture and painting

The subject depicted:Faders on a sound board doubling as a bike rack

Materials:Powder coated paint on steel

How it is made:Welding giant steel, covering it in black powder paint, and then cementing it beneath the ground