Silent Disco DMA-style

Our recent September Late Night was full of programming firsts. We spent the night texting works of art (that texted back). Docents were on-hand to be “checked-out” for a range of customized mini-tours. Visitors, taking inspiration from selected artworks, struck poses in front of our green screen—the resulting photos of which we are stitching together into several videos soon to be available on Flickr.

My favorite experiment of the evening was by far our silent disco-inspired program called Silent Soundtrack, which brought music into the galleries via wireless headphones. We partnered with Austin Silent Disco who brought crates of headphones and everything we needed in the way of technology to broadcast iPod playlists via radio signal.

Headphones had three channels for three separate soundtracks, each tailored to a different floor in the Museum. Staff from across several departments–Education, Curatorial, and Design–collaborated to create track lists. Selections were inspired by artworks and exhibitions, some loosely and others more literally. Below are our soundtracks and some of the artworks that inspired them, and below that, feedback from visitors. What music would inspire you in our galleries?

Contemporary Art, Level 1

The Times They Are A-Changin’, Bob Dylan
Beginning to See the Light, Velvet Underground
Hot Butter, Popcorn
Help Me Somebody, Brian Eno and David Byrne
Crayola Doesn’t Make a Color For Your Eyes, Kristin Andreassen
Kids, MGMT
Walk on the Wild Side, Lou Reed
Born, Never Asked, Laurie Anderson
Get Off of My Cloud, The Rolling Stones
Shadows, Warpaint
Come with Us, Brian Eno and David Byrne
Ecstatic Shock, Squarepusher
The Sun is Down!, Yoko Ono
Animal, Miike Snow
Born in the U.S.A., Bruce Springsteen

European Art, Level 2

Ce Ju, Yelle
Reflet, Paris Combo
Hands, The Ting Tings
Et Moi, Et Moi, Et Moi, Jacques Dutronc
Colourless Colour, La Roux
Let It Fall, Lykke Li
L’appareil à Sous, Brigitte Bardot
J’arrive pas à Vivre, Maido Project
Midnight City, M83
Tgv, Housse De Racket
Dancing on My Own, Robyn
Elevator, Minitel Rose
The Golden Age, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
Liar, Dragonette
Les Dalton, Joe Dassin

African Art, Level 3

Gbada, Bandani
Mbube (Wimoweh), Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, Paul Simon
Sanfene Foli, Mamadou Diabaté
Baxabene Oxamu, Miriam Makeba
Masigiye’bo, The Soweto Gospel Choir
Nakatiye (Meje), Oboto Sukume
Zombie, Fela Kuti & Afrika 70
Tulinesangala, Béla Fleck
Gitari Na Congo, Bakia Pierre
New Africa, Youssou N’Dour
Baba, Salif Keïta
Youne, Dobet Gnahore
Sopeak (Begging), Staff Benda Bilili
Sénégal Fast Food, Amadou & Mariam

Level 1 made the art seem to evolve. Watching progression happen as music went on.

Today I thought I was in for another hum-drum museum trip until I met headphone lady… I wish I had themed headphones for everywhere.

What a great idea to incorporate another art form while strolling around! Would like this more often–or maybe I’ll try my own music.

Artworks shown:

Orb, Adolph Gottlieb, 1964, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase
Untitled, Donald Judd, 1988, Dallas Museum of Art, Museum League Purchase Fund, General Acquisitions Fund, H. Harold Wineburgh Fund and gift of an anonymous donor
Composition with Large Blue Plane, Red, Black, Yellow, and Gray, Piet Mondrian, 1921, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of Mrs. James H. Clark
Murnau, Burggrabenstrasse 1, 1908, Wassily Kandinsky, 1908, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase
Valle Buona, Near Bordighera, Claude Monet, 1884, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Meadows Foundation Incorporated
Kneeling female figure with bowl (olumeye), Olowe of Ise, c. 1910 to c. 1938, Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc.
Waist pendant, 18th century, Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc.
Helmet mask (mukenga), mid-20th century, Dallas Museum of Art, gift in honor of Peter Hanszen Lynch and Cristina Martha Frances Lynch

Amy Copeland
Coordinator of Go van Gogh Outreach

Dallas Museum of Art Uncrated