Study in Place is a set of interactive sound sculptures and instruments that celebrate the everyday sounds and objects around us. An attempt to unify diverse threads in his creative practice, daily life, and occupation, Funkhouser seeks a reckoning with the tension between falling into routine and cultivating long-term personal growth.

“Moving to Indianapolis caused in me this profound, almost cosmic, sense of being in the right place at the right time. It afforded me both the right economic circumstances, and artistic community to begin a period of joyful exploration into my own art and identity. Having lived the better part of a decade here, changes in all aspects of life have surfaced a need to take an inventory and rediscover my place in life– both literally and artistically,” says Funkhouser who previously lived in his hometown of Richmond, Indiana.

This show also features the first exhibition of a collaboration between Funkhouser and his neighbor and visual artist, Justin Cooper (both are residents in Big Car’s Artist and Public Life housing program). Each piece they made together features a flower found in the Garfield Park neighborhood, many of which have taken up residence in their respective yards.“

The kalimbas and sound boxes represent the fruit of many conversations had on one porch or another, and approximately 55 gallons of coffee between us,” says Funkhouser. “Living close to each other, we were able to slowly build a set of instruments that both pushed into new aesthetic territory and helped grow a shared language of form.”In a time where content is being created and served on a bigger scale than any one person can possibly keep up with, Funkhouser shares with his audience the possibilities that music affords us as a medium to connect to place and each other.

About the artist

Rob Funkhouser is a composer, performer, and instrument builder who can never quite sit still. His work is concerned with ideas of place, memory, and pattern and he is interested in interrogating the interstitial spaces between established genres. He holds an M.M. from Butler University in Music Composition, and most recently completed Peace of Mind, Speed of Thought for Classical Music Indy. He has released recordings, curated performances, and installed works in many places both around Indianapolis and in many other parts of the country. In 2020, he began a long-term living residency with Big Car as part of their APLR program, and served as a resident artist for Cat Head Press in collaboration with Landon Caldwell. He also serves as Education Manager for the Rhythm Discovery Center, where he runs public programming for schools and community members. He has collaborated with diverse groups including Forward Motion, Los Angeles Percussion Quartet, No Exit Theater, and Chicago-based director Ryan Gleason.

Made possible through the generous support of The Efroymson Family Fund. Additional support provided by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, The Arts Council of Indianapolis and the City of Indianapolis.