Play Me, I'm Yours

Play Me, I’m Yours is a beautiful art installation by British artist Luke Jerram. The concept is so simple but so effective. First commissioned in Birmingham in 2008, 15 pianos appeared across the city and over three weeks were played by an estimated 140,000 people.

Cities anywhere in the world can commission the work. Pianos are installed in public spaces – anywhere, bus stops, squares, bridges – and may be decorated by local artists. But the instruments aren’t ‘artworks’, they are there to be played. This is an ultimate example of participatory art. Everyone can play the piano, even if it is just Heart and Soul or Ode to Joy, the pianos are free and out there for you to use. Anyone can join in and play.

Or you could play Titanic in Barcelona.

At the moment, there are some 600 Play Me, I’m Yours pianos in public spaces world wide. In 2012, the pianos will be appearing in Los Angeles, London, Salt Lake City, Geneva, Paris, Toronto and Hangzhou.

I have a critical weakness for men who play the piano. So for me this installation is the perfect set up for an amazingly romantic moment. Two strangers, or a newly dating couple. You come across a piano, he sits down and starts to play … going to stop now before I get too embarrassing.

If you go to the website you can see a map of where the 600 or so pianos are right now. You can also watch footage of people playing in Paris or Geneva. The pianos have come to 2 Australian cities – Sydney and Adelaide. I somehow cannot imagine Campbell Newman supporting a bid for the project to visit Brisbane, so I’ll hope it comes to Melbourne soon. Or maybe I could make it to Paris.   

In Darlinghurst.