AUDIO: ARTIST CREATES INSTALLATION THAT WILL PLAY TOTO’S “AFRICA” IN THE DESERT FOREVER
Max Siedentopf, an artist from Namibia, has set up a solar-powered sound installation in Africa’s Namib desert – among the sand dunes in the middle of nowhere – that plays Toto’s 1982 hit “Africa” on repeat. Siedentopf, 27, said he wanted to pay the song the ultimate homage and physically exhibit ‘Africa’ in Africa. His installation – placed in an undisclosed location – features six speakers that are wired to an MP3 file of the track. Solar batteries will keep the song going forever. Most parts of the installation were chosen to be as durable as possible, but he believes the harsh environment of the desert will eventually devour the installation. In the meantime, the song will just play on repeat for anybody who happens to stumble upon it in the Namib desert.
(video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMt_rjIctUo)
* If a tree falls in the desert, would it fall on the art project playing “Africa” on endless loop?
* Based on listeners, this installation will earn Toto an extra 13 cents by the year 2742.
* I think he set up one of those players at my supermarket. Every time I go there, that song plays there.
* He should have slipped in the Weezer version, just to screw with people.
* Two feet from the speakers there’s a beetle under the sand screaming “Make it stop!!!”
* Could be worse. Could be that stupid Baby Shark song.
* When civilization ends, and aliens finally stumble upon planet Earth, this is what they’re going to find, and they’re going to think, “These people deserved to die.”
CLIP: A bit of “Africa” playing in the desert. You can hear the wind blowing.
