The staalplaat soundsystem is founded by Geert-Jan Hobijn, after 20 years of work for the staalplaat foundation the creative possibilities of working with a sound organisation reached its limits, it was time to brake free and creating our own work instead of just presenting the work of others.
Since its inception in 2000, Staalplaat Soundsystem has created a multitude of mechanical orchestras using all manner of consumer electronics. Previous highlights of Staalplaat Soundsystem machine performances include ‘Sweet Sissy and the Ballroom Hiss’ starring 12 floor polishers, and ‘Avantilator’’ a composition for one hundred electric office fans in Helsinki. At the heart of all our work is a low-tech philosophy, the aim is to make installations appear simple, revealing rather than concealing how they are made, so people exclaim –‘I could do that’. In contrast to much media art, it is not the technique that is central to the work, but the ideas behind it.
