Snowman Stories, Cindy Loehr 2002
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago

video from the installation

snowman: 96 x 72 x 60 inches, steel armature with internal lighting and plastic garland, motorized head with internal speakers
looped audio: 13 stories, approx. 1 minute each

A 9 foot tall snowman presides over the room, telling stories from a speaker hidden in its head. As it speaks, its head turns slowly from side to side, surveying the room and its occupants.

My grandfather recorded the stories as part of an audio letter to my mother around Christmas time. The stories are reflections on day-to-day events such as visiting family, smoking sausages, repairing clocks and writing Christmas cards. I edited the stories and generalized the language to make it seem like the stories are addressed to the audience.