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Whisper Bench (work of art)

Artwork Info

Created
2008
Artist
Jim Gallucci (American)
Dimensions
53 1/2 × 62 × 51 inches (135.8 x 157.4 x 129.5 centimeters)

Credit

Purchased by the volunteers of the North Carolina Museum of Art in honor of dedicated service by volunteers and in memory of Emily S. Rosen (1958–2007)

Culture
American North Carolina

Key Ideas about this Work of Art

  • These brightly painted benches are connected to each other by an underground tube. When a person whispers into the tube on one of the benches, the sound travels across the clearing to the listener on the bench at the other end of the tube.
  • Jim Gallucci’s whisper benches are a playful mix of art and architecture. They are intended to inspire visitors to interact with the works of art and with each other. 
  • Gallucci creates his sculptural works in his art studio in Greensboro, NC. A motif that he often uses in his sculptures is a doorway. It is meant to represent a change or a transition.

Learn More

Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, Jim Gallucci uses painted steel and architectural forms to create interactive works of art. Located on either side of a trail, the two sections of Whisper Bench are linked by a hidden sound pipe that allows visitors to whisper messages while sitting on opposite sides of the path.

Additional Resources

Resources for Teachers 

 

Resources for Students

Images

  • An image of two yellow benches on a mulch clearing in front of trees. The benches are encircled by tubes that support the bench. Each tube has a disk-shaped opening.

    Whisper Bench

  • An image of two yellow benches on a mulch clearing in front of trees. The benches are encircled by tubes that support the bench. Each tube has a disk-shaped opening.

    Whisper Bench