The umbrella salesman of New York

Penn Station, New York City, and Gavin Prior’s recording of a fast-talking umbrella salesman outside the station, jabbering away so quickly and rhythmically it’s hard to tell what’s being said. Norwegian sound artist Jan Morten Iversen took on the field recording using the Oblique Strategy cards Take a break and Ask your body.

“I chose for reimagining the recording “New York Umbrella Seller” from the selection of recordings supplied for the project. When the reimagining work started, I cut the recording into several small elements and played them back to myself a few times before I – took a break.”

“Later that day, I pieced the various elements together, some were looped, some were pitched down and/or stretched, some kept as they originally were, sometimes fading in and out. When I felt like there was no more work to be done on it, I sat back and played it to myself through my headphones and – asked my body.”

“And I felt like I usually do when I am happy with something I’ve done, I felt good, I felt sort of ecstatic, like wanting a drink and a night out. A good sign. So I stopped. Done.”

City version:

Memory version: