Bettina Samson - The Vase and the Salt (Hoodoo Calliope) - 2019

Public artistic commission Garonne de Bordeaux Métropole - Berges de Garonne, Bègles

INAUGURATION June 6 at 7 p.m. - ASTRIA site, rue Louis Blériot in Bègles, on the banks of the Garonne

+ Musical evening with surprise guest! (Artist's carte blanche)

La Vase et le Sel (Hoodoo Calliope) is a steam organ made up of 38 bronze whistles, installed high up on a plinth placed on the lawn that separates the Astria waste treatment and recovery plant in Bègles, from the Chemin de towing along the banks of the Garonne. The organ will be powered by high pressure steam distributed directly from this plant through pipes and regulators. This invisible energy, resulting from a virtuous cycle, will be revealed by the work of Bettina Samson while evoking the paddle boats of the Missippi on which there are steam barley. The work will be triggered several times a day, at the time of the tidal slack, to play musical compositions evoking from time to time the culture of the Brass-Bands of New Orleans.

Bettina's work subtly evokes the links that, historically, have united our region and the North American continent. The Garonne was an important vector of exchanges between these territories, the story of which is punctuated by a sometimes dark memory.

These tensions, these links and the meaning of this artistic project have guided the work we do. Zébra3's role is to orchestrate the technical realization of this complex work, for which Astria makes its engineering skills available. This phase of work puts us face to face with challenges and confronts us with fascinating worlds. It is a question of mobilizing very specific know-how, in particular with the desire to promote the companies of our territory.

Contracting authority: Bordeaux Métropole as part of the Garonne artistic commission

Artistic conception: Bettina Samson
General coordination of the realization of the work, administrative follow-up, technical studies, manufacture and production follow-up: Zébra3 (Bordeaux, 33)
Realization of the steam installation, maintenance, upkeep: ASTRIA - Waste treatment and recovery center (Bègles, 33)
Whistle Making: Kenny G. Custom Calliope (Three Rivers, Michigan, USA)

Study and realization of an automatic control system for the whistles of the work. Converting pieces of music to MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) format: Unendliche Studio (Saint-Maixant, 33)

Musical creation of a set of 33 pieces: Musikaddouch (Paris)
Boilerwork, piping and framework: Company RCT Industrie (Canéjan, 33)

Polls: Soltechnic (Bruges)

Soil studies: Géotec (Eysines)

Foundations and structural work: Spie Batignolles (Mérignac)

Electricity and connections: Eiffage Energie (Pessac)
Production of an artistic video: Association EmbÛches / Collectif NOU (Paris)