Guy Goldstein -

This sound installation is set on Rothschild Boulevard in the heart of Tel Aviv, in the public space that represents the historical beginning of the city as well as its current center of business and capital. On the Boulevard, historical landmarks of Tel Aviv are combined with new skyscrapers, such as the headquarters of the Benleumi bank, under which the work was installed.

A strong sound system, suited for created an impact in an open space, was installed at the foot of this tower, newly built at the time. The sound work consisted of 15 voices reciting countdowns from ten to one in 15 different languages, synced precisely. The countdown is hard to follow because the languages are overlaid, but at least one or two languages are recognizable, and the rhythm furthermore connects to our pop-cultural references of countdowns. When it has reached one, the counting is followed by a thunderous, loud and deep sound of spaceship launch sampled from the last space shuttle launch of Atlantis in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The connection between the building and the soundtrack connects in the viewer’s imagination: even though it has no effect on the urban landscape, it activates its surroundings and creates a surreal cinematic experience in the center of the city.