Trimpin, the sound sculptor and composer, has received MacArthur and
Guggenheim fellowships; been the subject of a full-length documentary
film and a profile in The New Yorker magazine; been included in hundreds
of shows, performances, and new music festivals; and has had
installations and exhibitions around the world. Despite all this, access
to Trimpin's work is limited. He doesn't record his music and very few
of his sculptural works are in public or private collections.
This book captures a record of this remarkable journey and places
Trimpin's work in the context of visual art, music composition,
performance, ambitious engineering, acoustics, and installation art. A
touchstone for the book is a two-year series of exhibitions of his work
in museums across the Pacific Northwest. It includes essays on
Trimpin's life, his work with composer Conlon Nancarrow, and a fully
illustrated presentation of key sculptures and performances. Additional
essays by writers, composers, and curators consider his work through
specific pieces. Trimpin's own voice is a continuous thread running
through the entire publication.