Paul Ramírez Jonas
Artist in the Public Realm









Wh_r_ Hav_ all th_ Flow_rs Gon_, 2006




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MATERIALS:  Video projection, altered piano (all keys removed except for the middle C), fragments of 6 songs: For what it is worth by Stephen Stills, I Feel Like I'm Fixin to Die Rag by Joe McDonald, LaVarsovienne by Karol Kurpinski, Ohio by Niel Young, We Shall overcome, Where have all the flowers gone by Pete Seeger and Won't Get Fooled Again by Peter Townshend.


    In this video a piano player plays 6 protest songs from the 60s and one from the 19th century. The middle C key has been removed from the piano; and all seven songs have been transcribed so that the word 'We' in the lyrics of the songs corresponds to the missing key on the piano. The destructive gap in the melodies allows the viewer to hear the songs again. The prepared piano is a second component of this piece. All the keys have been removed but the middle C - complementing the missing note in the video work. The piano pedestals several pieces of sheet music - however, all the notes have been blocked out except for the note that the altered piano can still play. With the score and the piano, the public can potentially perform the missing notes.