Brian Eno's Music For White Cube sound-installation is not, in the traditional sense of the word, interesting. Indeed, in most traditional senses of the word, the piece is boring. This should not, however, come as bad news to this pioneer of ambient music. Interesting and boring, however much they rule contemporary culture in general, are not useful words in this context.
A description of the work suggests that it has been produced by Eno singing one note at different locations throughout the world. These recordings have since been transferred to a series of CDs. In the ambient style, the tracks on these CDs are then played in a random order, shuffling restlessly from one to the next. The resulting sound is played through four sets of speakers mounted on the walls of a small partitioned area in Arthouse's foyer, as well as through the sound system throughout the building. The sound produced, despite purportedly being vocal noise generated by Eno, emerges as whooshing, wind-like noises, played back at various pitches. In theory, Eno is a hugely interesting artist with a history of involvement with some of the most exciting and ambitious sounds of the century. Music For White Cube is not, however, going to feature on that list.
Eno's use of "self-generating" art, (currently also to be seen in visual form on the big screens at U2's Popmart gigs) is also theoretically interesting because of the way in which it allows ideas of the author, or the artist, to be radically dismantled. In the case of Music For The White Cube, however, it just seems to make it harder to find someone to blame.
Runs until September 30th