NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

TRIMPIN

Trimpin Members’ Reception, Missoula Art Museum, May 27, 5 PM

Distinguished Artist Lecture and Film Screening

Trimpin: The Sound of Invention, MCT Center for the Performing Arts, May 27, 7 PM

Missoula, MT / May 10, 2010/ Missoula Art Museum (MAM) / Trimpin MAM Members’ Reception: MAM members are invited to a unique opportunity to experience a musical performance by Trimpin entitled Funky Cello. All members receive a complimentary glass of wine thanks to Ten Spoon Winery and a sampling of tasty hors d’oeuvres.

Distinguished Artist Lecture and Film Screening – Trimpin: The Sound of Invention, MCT Center for the Performing Arts, 7 PM. This film by Peter Esmonde is an amusing journey through the sonic world of an eccentric creative genius. Artist/inventor/engineer/composer Trimpin shuns the hype and hyperbole of the commercial art world – yet his freewheeling sculptures and outrageous musical experiments are cherished by museums all over the planet. Open your ears and your mind will follow.

Filmed over two years, this documentary feature follows the artist/inventor as he designs a 60-foot tower of more than 500 automatic electric guitars; builds an ensemble of huge marimbas that converts real-time earthquake data into music; and collaborates with the Kronos Quartet on an outrageous world premiere featuring toy instruments. Trimpin: The Sound of Invention will delight anyone interested in the mysteries, pitfalls, and sheer joy of creative experiment.

Trimpin will answer questions following the film.

Free to MAM members and students with IDs, $5 to the public. Seating is limited. To reserve or purchase tickets please call 406.728.0447. Presented in partnership with the Missoula Children’s Theatre and the Gallagher Foundation.

Director’s Statement ~ Peter Esmonde

More than anything else, this is a film about creativity and creative processes. We deliberately set out to document an accomplished artist working closely with a variety of media and materials; collaborating with people from many disciplines; and creating work that could not be evaluated by any single set of esthetic criteria. Following Trimpin around for almost two years, we captured more than we’d hoped.With Trimpin it soon became obvious that a handheld ‘direct cinema’ approach would serve us best – and not only because the style emphasizes his spontaneity and energy.  Trimpin is perpetually moving, and it would’ve been impossible to set up a tripod and expect him to stay in the frame. Trimpin was quite wary of being filmed – mostly because his previous experiences with film crews had been awful.  TV producers seemed only interested in ridiculing the ‘crazy artist’.  It took some time form me gain the artist’s trust, to convince him that I was truly and deeply interested in his working process. Over time, Trimpin’s openness, curiosity, and sheer delight at the world around him all made the filmmaking process a joy.  We sincerely hope the audience will find the joy contagious, and that you may hear the world a little bit differently after watching/listening to the film. As always, the term ‘documentary’ remains problematic.  Suffice it to say that this non-fiction film is a constructed representation, as stringently produced as any cinema verite.

Contact:  For more information please contact the Missoula Art Museum at 406-728-0447, visit the MAM website at www.missoulaartmuseum.org or contact Katie Stanton, Marketing and Communications Director, katies@missoulaartmuseum.org, 406.728.0447 x231.

- END -

About MAM: FREE EXPRESSION / FREE ADMISSION. The Missoula Art Museum strives to engage artists and audience in the creative exploration of contemporary art relevant to our community, state and region. Founded in 1975 and accredited by the American Association of Museums since 1987, MAM showcases diverse and thought-provoking contemporary artwork from local and international artists. Gallery Hours: Wed-Fri, 10AM-5PM, Sat-Sun, 10AM-3PM. Office hours: Mon-Fri, 9AM-5PM.