Description:

1992 mixed media
13'h x 18'w x 9'd

An oil painted screen high in the backdrop for this visit to Beethoven's world. The scene includes: A thatch of musical composition types; a bulletin board of actual compositions; another bulletin board of images of his birthplace and later dwellings and concert halls; irregular planks and bumps of his would-be lovers; a brick wall of opus numbers and a picket fence of his teachers. All of this is surrounded by two vast streams of boats, which are a reminder of his living near the Rhine and the Danube Rivers.

The center piece is a wooden carving of Beethoven's head with musical instruments bursting from his head.

Concepts:

Oil Painting: Backdrop.

Country Item: A small German ceramic of Mozart (Ludwig's idol) at the clavier

Contracted Art: An original Beethoven inspired piece of music was commissioned and is played on a continuous cassette loop from the mobile headphones.

Pun: His divine ascendance is in the title, "Beat-Heaven, Beethoven".