Trimpin, the sound sculptor and composer, has received MacArthur and Guggenheim fellowships; been the subject of a full-length documentary film and a profile in The New Yorker magazine; been included in hundreds of shows, performances, and new music festivals; and has had installations and exhibitions around the world. Despite all this, access to Trimpin’s work is limited. He doesn’t record his music and very few of his sculptural works are in public or private collections.

This book captures a record of this remarkable journey and places Trimpin’s work in the context of visual art, music composition, performance, ambitious engineering, acoustics, and installation art. A touchstone for the book is a two-year series of exhibitions of his work in museums across the Pacific Northwest. It includes essays on Trimpin’s life, his work with composer Conlon Nancarrow, and a fully illustrated presentation of key sculptures and performances. Additional essays by writers, composers, and curators consider his work through specific pieces. Trimpin’s own voice is a continuous thread running through the entire publication.