Play Me I’m Yours

Clarence Brown Theatre Courtyard | March 5 - March 16, 2012
Sponsored by: Central Program Council, Visual Arts Committee

Touring internationally since 2008, “Play Me, I’m Yours” is an artwork by British artist Luke Jerram. Over 500 pianos have now been installed in cities across the globe, from New York to Sydney, bearing the simple instruction ‘Play Me, I’m Yours’.

Located in public parks, bus shelters and train stations, outside galleries and markets and even on bridges and ferries, the pianos are available for any member of the public to play and enjoy. Who plays them and how long they remain is up to each community. Many pianos are personalized and decorated by artists or the local community. By creating a place of exchange ‘Play Me, I’m Yours’ invites the public to engage with, activate and take ownership of their urban environment.

Each city has a website made for the public to upload their films, photos and stories sharing their interaction with the pianos. The websites act as one of the legacies for the project whilst connecting the pianos and communities across each city. After each presentation of the project, the pianos are donated to schools and community groups in the area.

This year, the Visual Arts Committee with also hold a Live from London Skype event to speak with founding artist Luke Jerram!

Luke’s lecture will be live lecture direct from London, in room 109 of the Art and Architecture building @ 7:00 March 15th.

Luke Jerram’s multidisciplinary practice involves the creation of sculptures, installations, live arts projects and gifts. Living in the UK but working internationally since his career began in 1997, Jerram has created a number of extraordinary art projects which have excited and inspired people around the globe. His celebrated street pianos installation ‘Play Me, I’m Yours’ is currently touring and being shown in over 25 cities around the world. Launched by Mayor Bloomberg in NYC, the installation received extensive press coverage around the globe.

Jerram is known worldwide for his large scale public engagement artworks. The Sky Orchestra is one such project, which grew out of a 3 year NESTA Fellowship Jerram was awarded in 2001. In 2006 they were commissioned by the RSC and Fierce to fly over Statford-Upon-Avon and in 2007 they launched the Sydney Festival. In 2011 Jerram was commissioned by the Mayor of London and LIFT to fly over London to celebrate the Olympics, and 30th anniversary of London International Festival of Theatre.

To learn more about Luke Jerram please visit lukejerram.com

To see more examples of the Play Me I’m Yours piano’s visit streetpianos.com

A special thanks to the Clarence Brown Theatre, Piano Movers Plus and Keith Kirkland for making this exhibit possible!

All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise stated. Student ID is required for all events. For more information about these events or to arrange disability accommodations, contact the Office of Student @ 865.974.5455.