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Lpg Making Sweet Music

Intergas UK has helped artist Jon Large create a musical instrument powered by lpg.

Artist Jon Large has sculpted a musical instrument, known as a pyrophone, that utilises heat and fire fuelled by lp gas to create acoustic frequency resonances. Named Fluxweed, it is an external combustion device that features steel organ pipes excited by both the initial gas pressure and subsequent fuel/air combustion.

Jon, based in Manchester, has been sculpting for more than 25 years, undertaking commissions in a range of media and styles, and usually collaborates with a small artistic group called The Pressure Company on a project basis.

Jon said: “Fluxweed was a small solo project. I was invited to create a new sound device for an event called Heat The Streets in Blackpool in February. The form of the sculpture was inspired by an illustration of the fluxweed plant in Culpepper’s Herbal, a classic botanical handbook.”

Intergas UK, based in Sunderland, supplied Jon with brass connectors and custom length hose assemblies and fittings for the instrument.

Kevin Tetchner, managing director at Intergas UK, said: “We supply general lpg products to the trade, but we also manufacture different equipment to customers’ specifications. We already supply many customers with custom-built assemblies and, through a customer who uses us for this, John contacted us to see if we could help him.

“When we were told about the project Jon was undertaking, we were very excited to be part of it and were keen to help Jon by making the particular equipment he needed. Jon required a whole range of various brass connectors and special length hose assemblies with various fittings attached. These items are not standard catalogue products but, with our large range of contacts and technical expertise, we were able to help Jon get the specific items he required.

”When we saw the instrument for the first time, we were amazed at what Jon had made. We thought it was fantastic. We will be showing the instrument on our website to promote both Jon’s creation and to give an example of the unusual projects that we can help with.”

Fluxweed will be developed further with the addition of bass frequency pipes for the ‘roots’, sound modulated flame bars on the leaves and a small number of percussive ‘jets’. It was created to be hired out as a stand-alone attraction for events, and to join Jon’s collection of sound devices for performance in an ensemble.

Jon said: “Intergas UK were very helpful in providing advice on the appropriate equipment required, and supplied a variety of valves, brass hardware and lpg hose assemblies for the supply, distribution and control systems.”

Fluxweed will next be shown at Glastonbury Festival in June. Jon is currently busy fabricating additional parts, and intends to create more instruments that work with lpg. His next major project will be The Sound Circus, a touring ensemble of interactive sound devices for outdoor events.

He said: “I’ve a number of designs for more kinetic and animated mechanical sculptures. The idea is to build a complete ‘sonic palette’ of lpg devices, starting with Fluxweed and expanding the devices with future commissions. A key design requirement in developing the piece was to enable all the lpg and electronic systems to be reconfigurable into new sculptures, with lower costs and engineering overheads.”

More information about Fluxweed can be found at www.accidentalassociates.co.uk.

Contact Intergas UK on 0191 548 5000 www.intergasuk.co.uk