Mike Bode and Audrey Wozniak's 'Playing the Legend' at Bohusläns Museum Explores Zildjian Cymbal Myth
The exhibition 'Playing the Legend' at Bohusläns Museum features a collaborative multimedia installation by visual artist Mike Bode and ethnomusicologist Audrey Wozniak, who is also a violinist and cultural mediator. This work delves into the creation of material culture and myth surrounding the famous Zildjian cymbal, stemming from their long-term partnership. Central to the installation is the cymbal, whose alloy was allegedly formulated by Avedis Zildjian, an Ottoman-Armenian alchemist, for the sultan in 1623. The legendary recipe has been handed down through fourteen generations, culminating in a cymbal factory in Massachusetts, recognized as 'America's oldest family business.' The exhibition traces the cymbal's global journey, linking its Ottoman roots to its modern American craftsmanship, while exploring the intricate meanings that objects embody over time and space.
Key facts
- Bohusläns Museum presents the exhibition 'Playing the Legend'.
- The exhibition is a conceptual multimedia installation by Mike Bode and Audrey Wozniak.
- The project is a long-term collaboration between visual artist Mike Bode and ethnomusicologist, violinist, and cultural mediator Audrey Wozniak.
- The installation examines material culture and myth within the family and metallurgical lineages of the Zildjian cymbal.
- The cymbal's alloy was reputedly developed by Ottoman-Armenian alchemist Avedis Zildjian for the Ottoman sultan in 1623.
- The secret formula has been passed down to the fourteenth generation of Zildjians.
- The Zildjian cymbal factory is located in Massachusetts and is called 'America's oldest family business'.
- The work focuses on the cymbal's transnational circulations.
Entities
Artists
- Mike Bode
- Audrey Wozniak
- Avedis Zildjian
Institutions
- Bohusläns Museum
- Zildjian
Locations
- Massachusetts