Playing Through is an interactive street piano and original piece of public art enhanced with a golf-inspired theme. It was created by ALTernative, a Columbus-based artist collaborative led by Tim Lai and Eliza Ho during the summer of 2013.

“The design takes the cue from a golf ball and the dimples on its surface. Multiplying hundreds of golf balls, the design creates a circle field and web-like pattern that looks seemingly repetitive yet with rhythm, like music notes. The circles also convey a sense of pop art that is whimsical and fun to look at. The fountain blue stain in the background reveals the beautiful wood grains of the piano and gives a sense of lightness that plays off the bulkiness of the musical instrument. The color also lends itself to the idea of water, alluding to the Scioto River in Dublin,” says Eliza Ho of ALTernative. Ho realized the artwork with the assistance of her husband, Tim Lai, and pop artist Joss Parker of Columbus.

The inspiration for Playing Through came from the concept of street pianos placed in communities to encourage public interaction. Playing Through transcends language with music, and it welcomes people of all nationalities and ages to sit down and play a song.

While musicians will be scheduled to play the street piano at select times, the most engaging aspect of the interactive artwork is that the piano sits in a public space, with an open invitation for all to take a turn at the keyboard.

The piano has become a legacy public artwork and is strategically placed throughout the city in highly visible indoor and outdoor public spaces, as well as community events.

Playing Through was commissioned in 2013 in celebration of The Presidents Cup, hosted at Dublin’s Muirfield Village Golf Club.

About street pianos
While street pianos may date back to the barrel piano of 19th century England, modern history cites a notable occurrence in 2005 in Sheffield, England when a piano’s owner couldn’t face moving his piano up the steps of his new home. He left the instrument temporarily on the pavement next to the steps, with a cardboard sign with black marking pen instructions proclaiming “Street Piano – feel free to play any time between 9am and 9pm.” It was intended to be a temporary measure, but the piano struck a note, so to speak, with the public, resulting in solo and group players flocking to interact with the instrument.

Playing Through is on view primarily at Dublin Arts Council. Please call 614.889.7444 or email playingthrough@dublinarts.org to make an appointment to stop in for a turn at the keyboard or to book the piano.

Have you spotted the piano?
Dublin Arts Council (@DublinArts) encourages social sharing of photos and videos: #PlayingThrough.

For more information about Playing Through, visit dublinarts.org and click on the Art in Public Places tab.