Ezri Tarazi, Maqam/Makom (Place), 2015.

 

Maqam (the Arabic word for ‘place’) is the system of melodic modes and structures used in traditional Arabic music. The table pays homage to two traditions that are often combined at social gatherings: Coffee drinking and making music together. The table contains twelve shallow cavities for coffee cups and an additional one for a coffee pot. A cup placed in one of the cavities completes an electric circuit between two copper conductors, activating a musical ‘loop’. Each cavity causes a different sound to be produced by a single musical instrument. Like a band made up of different musicians, each cup joining the social circle contributes to the musical richness of the sound track being played in the background. The table emphasizes the complex beauty of a joint group creation.