Play-Me

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International Piano Phenomenon ‘Play Me I’m Yours’ Comes to San Jose for the 01SJ Biennial

01SJ Biennial artist Luke Jerram has installed 273 pianos in 11 cities worldwide

and now comes to Bay Area for West Coast debut

August 1, 2010 – Internationally acclaimed British artist Luke Jerram comes to the Bay Area for the 01SJ Biennial.  As one of the 100 plus 01SJ Biennial artists, Jerram’s  ‘Play Me I’m Yours’ project (http://www.streetpianos.com/) temporarily places 20 tuned and ready to play pianos throughout the city in a variety of public outdoor locations. The pianos will be installed in San Jose on August 29, 2010 and will remain in their public locations throughout the 01SJ (September 16–19).

Making street pianos appear in cities across the world, ‘Play Me I’m Yours’ is an internationally touring artwork by Jerram conceived of in 2008.  Located in parks, squares, bus shelters and train stations, outside galleries, markets and on bridges and ferries, the pianos are for any member of the public to enjoy and claim ownership of.

Reaching an audience of over 1,000,000 people worldwide, Jerram has installed 273 pianos in 11 different cities so far.

As it has moved from city to city, Jerram’s project has been picking up press like a hurricane picks up power over a warm ocean—including such prominent worldwide publications as Vanity Fair, BBC World Service, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, ABC Australia, and NPR —and in the process has become a true art phenomena with broad public appeal.

The 01SJ Biennial is his next stop and the only appearance of the project on the West Coast.

Who plays the pianos and how long they remain is up to each community. Each piano acts as sculptural, musical, blank canvas that becomes a reflection of the communities it is embedded into. Questioning the ownership and rules of public space ‘Play Me I’m Yours’ is a provocation, inviting the public to engage with, activate and take ownership of their urban environment.

01JSpianos contains a map of where all the pianos will be in San Jose. The website is also an online space for the public to upload and share their films photos and stories.

Previous ‘Play Me I’m Yours’ cities include:

• New York 2010>
• London 2010 >
• Bath 2010>
• Barcelona 2010 >
• Bristol 2009 >
• London 2009 >
• Bury St Edmunds 2009 >
• Sydney 2009 >
• Sao Paulo 2008 >

• Birmingham 2008 >

*Luke Jerram will be in the Bay Area and available for interviews August 31st–September 5^th.

More info on Luke Jerram’s artistic practice available at lukejerram.com

More info on the 01SJ artists and events available at – 01sj.org

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