The Brooklyn based speaker sculptor, Devon Turnbull also known as OJAS introduces his free, drop-in listening experience for the first time in London at the Lisson Gallery.
Just off Edgware Road and surrounded by run down grocers, convenience stores and a large car park stands Lisson Gallery, completely out of place but thankfully there nonetheless.
The front was white washed and glassy. Just how one would expect a high-end gallery to look. Inside was even better. It was a complete Tardis with different cordoned-off floors and and three main halls with huge ceiling height. I was very impressed as I walked past the minimalist reception and its Apple desktop computers.
As I enter the first room I smile as I see a couple lying on floor taking the time to absorb the pleasant jazz music smoothly radiating throughout the gallery. There were a couple of small minimalist cube like systems in that first room. I say small, but they were small only in comparison to what I was about to witness.
I cautiously enter the main room. Well now that is cool. A giant HiFi speaker systems, record containers, a series of amplifiers. These were brutalist-designed, high end and handmade by Devon Turnbull, or OJAS, his Sanskrit pseudonym, (it roughly means: ‘life vitality’).
But when you walk in that is not the first thing you see. You enter to the side of the meditation area where people sit and absorb the music. As Turnbull was raised by transcendental mediation teachers, this made a lot of sense.
The area was completely filled with a diverse range of people all enjoying the jazz playing through what I would describe as a 90s teenager’s dream. Yes, a really cool big giant speaker system.
I must admit I initially found it a bit like a part from George Orwell’s ‘1984’. But then the sound, yes the music, the reason why we were all there, of course touched my soul and my eyes were opened as to why OJAS did this. It’s all about the music.
How can one even critique this installation. I mean who doesn’t love music? Well the exhibit was great even spiritual but the Turnbull-designed speaker intentionally made out of pieces of ply wood selling for over £2,000 at the gift shop left a slight bad taste in my mouth as I exited.
Still, entrance to this exhibit is completely free and definitely worth checking out.
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