Future Karaoke Pods!

I’ll let the brochure do all the describing for me:

Through conceptually rich and technically innovative artworks, Lee Bul explores the notion of immortality and the desire to transcend the limits of the body. Based in Seoul, Korea, Lee’s past works have included elaborate costumes composed of stuffed body parts, jewel-encrusted decomposing fish, and silicone sculptures of female cyborgs and cyber-organisms. Her newest installation, Live Forever continues her investigation of the body and technology through three self-enclosed karaoke pods and a trilogy of videos. Drawings and sketches related to the project are also on view, along with a foam prototype of the pods.

Low-lying, futuristic vessels, the karaoke pods in Live Forever look as if they might take flight or speed away at any moment. Just climb in, don the headphones, grab the microphone, select a song and you’re off! The darkly tinted windows and enclosed space of each sound-contained pod assure that no one is witness to your private performance. You may find that your voice sounds a bit higher, and maybe even a bit better than usual — Lee has set up the sound mixer to improve and enhance the quality of your voice.

Karaoke — a word derived from abbreviations of the Japanese words for empty (karappo) and orchestra (okesutura) — is a distinct part of urban Korean culture. It differs from the North American version of karaoke in which participants ascend onto a stage to perform for an anonymous audience. In Korean-owned and operated karaoke bars, friends, relatives and business associates reserve private rooms together, entertaining each other and acting as both performers and audience. It is this intimate situation that is the basis of Lee’s installation.

Now feast your eyes on the pods…

You can see these — and even take ’em for a test spin! — at Lee Bul’s Live Forever show, which is on right now at the Power Plant Gallery. Lee’s created fibreglass karaoke “Pods” that look like vehicles out of Star Wars, complete with leather recliner seat, personal karaoke sound system and flat-screen display. You seal yourself in, select your song on the touchpad, slap on the headphones, grab the mike and rock out!

Toronto’s most notorious karaoke host, Carson T. Foster, tells me that Terrence Dick, his contact with the gallery, says that he often has to repair the inner workings of the pods after the gallery closes because people get so physicial with the artwork.

The show runs until March 2nd. Karaoke and technology lovers should hurry up if they haven’t seen it yet.