ronald van der meijs: parthenocarp

the ‘parthenocarp’ by ronald van der meijs is a musical instrument whose sound is controlled by the growth of cucumbers installation size: 4 x 5 x 3 meters (3 sound cabinets) okoume plywood, steel cable, metal, ebony, maple, electric drills, UV lights, drip irrigation systems, hybrid cucumber plants

‘parthenocarp’ by dutch artist ronald van der meijs is a large-scale musical instrument whose sound is affected by the growth of growing cucumber plants.

the work consists of three sound cabinets, each with its own steel string suspended over a small black wheel sunken into the top face. these cables are connected at one end to an electric drill and at the other to a metal cage housing a living cucumber plant; a mechanical teflon ‘finger’ against the string changes position depending on the length of the vegetables as they grow. thus each cabinet, functioning something like a mechanical hurdy-gurdy, plays a tone that mutates slightly over the course of the exhibition, relative to the cucumbers’ growth.

detail on the cucumber’s cage, and the tension system attached to the instrument’s string

detail on the cucumber cage, suspended above the instrument’s string

the installation is representative of the transformation of the urban zone of overstad in alkmaar, netherlands, which has shifted from a farming region to an industrial area to now a modern downtown center, ‘a slow urban transformation process‘, van der meijs reflects, ‘not only associated with changes in the built environment but also include the surrounded noise, the skepticism and opposition from residents and political opposition parties.’ likewise, the ‘combined sound of the [parthenocarp] system transforms very slowly during the exhibition, and is subject to a variety of harmony and discord.‘

‘parthenocarp’, installation view at gallery kunsteyssen (alkmaar, netherlands)