Solar Boxes Emit Sound of Art

Small speakers powered by the sun and emitting a single guitar note are about to add to the ambient sounds of fall this week on Martha’s Vineyard. The project called sun boxes is the work of artist Craig Colorusso, a one-time punk rocker (remember China Pig) turned performance artist.

The piece is essentially 20 small speakers with a circuit board powered by the sun’s rays. The speakers each contain an endless loop of a single note so as the sun does its thing, a chorus of sorts begins to form, reform, merge and shift as nature takes its course. The sound is a bit like a whale song, both haunting and peaceful at the same time.

During the week the sun boxes will be set up at various spots across the Island. Today they will be at Menemsha Beach, Saturday and Sunday at the Farm Institute, Monday at Featherstone Center for the Arts, Tuesday to be determined, Wednesday at Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Thursday at Morning Glory Farm and next Friday and Saturday at the Field Gallery. The closing ceremony site on Sunday is also to be determined.

These are daytime events, of course, and any shadows, natural or man-made (shadows stop the music), are all part of the give and take of performance renewable energy art.

For a preview of coming attractions, visit kickstarter.com/projects/sun-boxes/sun-boxes-on-marthas-vineyard.