Pierre Berthet - Serendip Festival 2012 from agathe heron on Vimeo.

A flexible tube is attached to the end of an inverted (hence blowing air) vacuum cleaner. Because of the force of the air stream, the tube starts frantically swiping the floor in a swift regular pendulum-like movement, and thus the air swooshes along the openings of a number of rigid tubes of varying lengths that are fixed on the floor in its path. The result is a mechanical sort of ’air drumming’ superposed on the vacuum cleaners’ continuous low buzzing motor drone. The set-up could be multiplied up to 4 vacuum cleaners depending on the space.

Works as an installation (push button on/off) or as a performance (I play it using various techniques). I have 5 "filter queen" expirators. The size of the orchestra is adapted to the space. In this example you may hear a single one.

Recording : Kamel Maad.

Recording : Rachel Haferkamp.

Here, a trio :

Here is a photo took during a performance at "Syndicat potentiel", Strasbourg, in an exhibition of Nicolas Zimny:

more photos, click here